The morning started out small, causing the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout contest directors to put it on hold until the new swell filled in. When it did, the waves were in the 6- to 8-foot range with clean conditions at Pipeline and Backdoor.

After three days of competition, Kauai’s Reef McIntosh is in the lead. He is a free surfer and is known for his uncanny ability to ride in the barrel.

"I never win anything," laughed McIntosh. "This event is so specialized for the best Pipeline guys. All we do is surf Pipeline. The guys on the (ASP World Tour) surf all kinds of waves around the world. We get to specialize on one wave. I used to watch all the past winners of the shootout, like Johnny Boy Gomes, Kalani Robb, Kelly Slater, and Jamie (O’Brien). To win this contest would be like a dream."

The wave of the day went to O’Brien.

"It was a Backdoor wave that was really deep and really long," photographer Brian Bielmann said. "He was weaving all inside of it. You could see the tip of his board at one point, then it disappeared and a few seconds later he came flying out with the spit. It had to at least be a 10. (The scale goes to 12 for the Backdoor shootout). O’Brien moved up to second in the race for the Backdoor Shootout title.

Marcus Hickman had a great run Wednesday and is in third place.

Hickman had several exceptional waves as well. On one of his high scores, he took off late on a large Pipe wave as the lip was already heaving over him. Just as he set his rail, a large section collapsed ahead of him. Several seconds later, he emerged from the barrel with hoots from the crowd on the beach and hands held above his head.

The contest is set to run today with one more round to go. The conditions are expected to be good in the morning with 10- to 12-foot waves.