The Billabong Pipeline Masters opened to a perfect 10 Sunday on the North Shore.
In surf that went off in the 6- to 8-foot range and with the memory of Andy Irons fresh on everyone’s mind, the opening two rounds of the last jewel of the Triple Crown of Surfing produced some excitement. At the top of the food chain, Australia’s Mick Fanning and Florida’s Kelly Slater are battling it out for the top spot on the World Championship Tour.
Slater has to win, while Fanning need only to finish third or better to win the coveted prize. Defending Triple Crown of Surfing champion Sebastian Zietz of Kauai and wunderkind Gabriel Medina of Brazil stood out among the world’s best in what many consider the Super Bowl of surfing. Zietz managed a perfect 10 en route to the highest combined heat total of the day of 18.67 (out of 20) for some nice tubes and one huge air at Pipeline.
"The wave was kind of wide of backdoor and Bruce (Irons) was in priority, but he didn’t want it, so I went and I just kind of side-slid into it and hit the foam ball on the very first part. I was leaning way forward kind of on one foot and then I put my back foot down, then I was going the perfect speed for the rest of the wave and it even had a little bonus section and it spit me out," Zietz said.
"Being from Hawaii and surfing in the Pipe Masters is the most prestigious things you could do. "Pipe is amazing and I grew up watching all my heroes surf out there for all these years and I never thought I would be in it and now that I am in it, I am definitely not going to take it for granted."
Medina posted a 9.67 (out of 10) on his first ride and followed it up with another wave that featured a barrel and a massive air maneuver on the inside. It had the announcers and crowd on the beach yelling with praise. It was good for 9.00 points and a win over former Pipe Master Bruce Irons.
"I got a little bit lucky. I think God helps me a lot," Medina said. "I got three really good barrels and then I did that air. I was watching all the guys going backdoor and getting the big scores and it was in my mind, but I don’t know, somehow I went left and I got the scores that I wanted. I always grew up watching Bruce and I respect him because he is such a good surfer out here, so to beat him is a dream come true."
In the last heat of the day, Patrick Gudauskas got past Kolohe Andino in a battle of Californians. Gudauskas won it in the last minute by picking out a quick barrel and following that with a snapping turn on the inside. Gudauskas eliminated Ezekiel Lau of Hawaii in the first heat.
"It’s always the best way to win a heat if you can, but it’s a little more stressful," Gudauskas said about his winning wave. "I was really stoked to get that last wave and get the opportunity. Surfing the Pipe contest is a dream come true."
The Billabong Pipeline Masters will continue on the next day of acceptable waves. Check triplecrownofsurfing.com for updates and a live webcast. The holding period runs to Dec. 20.
