With the recent run of extra large swells on the North Shore, tons of sand has been dumped on the reef at Pipeline.

Conditions are unfavorable there, so the Volcom Pipe Pro was run Thursday at a break known as Gums, which is about 100 yards to the right of Pipeline.

Despite the change in location, surfers adapted and posted plenty of high scores in the 2- to 4-foot waves, as well as the occasional tube ride.

Kaito Kino, 19, of Honolulu was a standout who posted the day’s top combined heat total of a 14.10 (out of 20) for his two highest-scoring rides.

"The surf was pretty fun out there; it was like a right-hand sand-point break," Kino said. "It was really tricky out there, so finding the right wave was key. During both of my heats I got good waves, so I was really stoked."

Kino scored a 7.10 (out of 10) for one particularly draining right-hand barrel at the beginning of his Round of 96 heat and never looked back, remaining in first place the entire time.

"It definitely gave me a lot of confidence today getting through those heats," he said. "It was my first time surfing in the Pipe Pro, so I was super stoked to even get in the contest. I just want to keep going, do my best and hopefully take some guys out."

Another one of the day’s standouts was 23-year-old Billy Kemper from Maui. Kemper scored one of the day’s highest single wave scores with an 8.17 for some committed power turns.

"It was a battle out there, but it was really fun," Kemper said.

Kemper is known for his big-wave prowess, yet he looked smooth in the small and tricky conditions. During the run of big swells last week, he charged some 50-footers at Jaws on Maui.

"To tell you the truth I was really rag-dolled from those Jaws sessions and the first time I surfed since then was right before dark the day before the contest," Kemper said.