November means big waves and big-time surfers are rolling onto Oahu’s North Shore for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, which gets underway today, conditions permitting.
Now in its 36th year, the series of three season-ending contests brings together the World Surf League’s top stars for some intense battles.
Three of those higher-echelon competitors — No. 1 Gabriel Medina, No. 2 Julian Wilson of Australia and No. 3 Filipe Toledo of Brazil — are the only surfers who have a shot at the world championship, the sport’s ultimate prize. The first two Triple Crown contests don’t have a bearing on that race, which will be decided at the finale — the Billabong Pipe Masters in December.
Medina won the world title in 2014. Wilson and Toledo are going for their first.
The waiting period for the Hawaiian Pro — the first leg of the Triple Crown and a WSL qualifying series event — starts today and goes through Nov. 24 at Haleiwa’s Alii Beach Park. Organizers will pick the days with the best conditions to run it.
After that comes the Vans World Cup of Surfing — another qualifying series contest — Nov. 25 through Dec. 6 at Sunset Beach, which is followed by the Pipe Masters, Dec. 8-20 at Ehukai Beach Park.
Preparing for his world-title bid, Toledo will be sharpening his skills and defending his event title at the Hawaiian Pro.
Haleiwa’s John John Florence, who dealt with a knee injury this year after winning world titles in 2016 and 2017, is not competing in the first two events but plans to be out there for the Pipe Masters.
Griffin Colapinto of San Clemente, Calif., who won the Triple Crown championship (top surfer among the three events combined) a year ago and is a rookie on the championship tour, is among 25 of the 34 on the top tour entered in the Hawaiian Pro.
As the last two qualifying series events of the year, the Hawaiian Pro and Vans World Cup are the last chance for surfers to pile up points to get on the championship tour for 2019.
Patrick Gudauskas of La Jolla, Calif., summed up what it means to come to Hawaii for the Triple Crown. He qualified for the championship tour this year by way of last year’s Triple Crown.
“I have dedicated my whole career to my performances in Hawaii during the Vans Triple Crown season,” he said. “It is the most important series of events in the surfing world in my opinion. Nowhere in the world is the surfing more highly valued by the viewers and most importantly the surfers. Charging hard and performing great in those waves offers some of the most rewarding feelings you can have as a surfer, and I’m grateful every year to come back and enjoy the experience all the way through.”
Many of Hawaii’s top surfers are also primed for a run at the Triple Crown, including championship tour athletes Ezekiel Lau, Sebastian Zietz and Keanu Asing.
Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
>> Hawaiian Pro, Alii Beach Park, Haleiwa, today through Nov. 24
>> Vans World Cup of Surfing, Sunset Beach, Nov. 25-Dec. 6
>> Billabong Pipe Masters, Ehukai Beach, Dec. 8-20
Recent Champions
Hawaiian Pro
>> 2017: Filipe Toledo, Brazil
>> 2016: John John Florence, Haleiwa
>> 2015: Wade Carmichael, Australia
Vans World Cup of Surfing
>> 2017: Conner Coffin, Santa Barbara, Calif.
>> 2016: Jordy Smith, South Africa
>> 2015: Mick Fanning, Australia
Billabong Pipe Masters
>> 2017: Jeremy Flores, France
>> 2016: Michel Bourez, Tahiti
>> 2015: Adriano de Souza, Brazil
Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
>> 2017: Griffin Colapinto, San Clemente, Calif.
>> 2016: John John Florence, Haleiwa
>> 2015: Gabriel Medina, Brazil
WSL world title
>> 2017: John John Florence, Haleiwa
>> 2016: John John Florence, Haleiwa
>> 2015: Adriano de Souza, Brazil
