A Californian won the Vans World Cup of Surfing for the first time at Sunset Beach on Saturday, but the Hawaii contingent wasn’t completely shut out.
Santa Barbara’s Conner Coffin did the trick for the Golden State in the World Surf League qualifying series event that began in 1975. Since then, 18 Australians, 17 from the 808 — and even one from Florida — have etched their name on the trophy.
On Saturday, Coffin did the most with his wave selection in the four-man final, scoring a 7.33 for a gouging vertical turn and a floater in the critical portion of his first wave and a 7.0 for a surprise barrel.
“Luckily, I got the first one with a carve and a floater,” Coffin said. “Then a big set came and I barely caught that wave and air-dropped and was like, ‘Man, I can barely see anything.’ I wasn’t planning on getting barreled, but it was just kind of all I could do. It wasn’t a crazy deep barrel, but I was trying to make do with what I had and just try to fend everyone else off for the rest of the heat. I got lucky in that way.”
Two from San Clemente, Calif. — Kolohe Andino and Griffin Colapinto — placed second and fourth, with Australia’s Wade Carmichael finishing third.
Colapinto and Andino are good friends and Nos. 1 and 2 in the standings for the Triple Crown of Surfing title, which goes to the best competitor in the three season-ending events combined. Colapinto was the runner-up at the Hawaiian Pro last month, when Andino placed fifth. The Triple Crown will be decided at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Dec. 8-20.
When Colapinto, 19, was told that Andino, 23, called him his sidekick, Colapinto said, “It’s true. He’s (almost) five years older than me.”
But then Colapinto equalized the relationship, possibly without realizing it, when he said, “Like Batman and Robin Hood.”
“It was great to be in the final with one of my best friends,” Andino said.
Added Colapinto, “It will be exciting to see if one of us can win the Triple Crown. I’m going to his bachelor party in a month, so it’s kind of funny that we’re neck and neck.”
Colapinto, however, has to surf in the trials (the Pipeline Invitational) to get into the main event, and Andino is already in the Pipe Masters.
While the Triple Crown continues to unfold, there are bigger fish to be caught in the North Shore waters. The ultimate prize, the world championship, will also be determined at Pipeline, with No. 1 John John Florence of Haleiwa, No. 2 Gabriel Medina of Brazil, No. 3 Jordy Smith of South Africa and No. 4 Julian Wilson of Australia still in the running for that season-long points title.
Winning the Pipe Masters itself is also a tasty accomplishment that only the best of the best can do.
“Pipe has been in the back of my mind,” said Coffin, who pocketed $40,000 for the World Cup win. “I’m going to celebrate this and get ready for Pipe, keep surfing every day and be mentally ready. Yeah, I’m fired up. I love Pipe.”
Going for the Pipe title is only one thing on Coffin’s mind. He is No. 21 on the championship tour, and only the top 22 are guaranteed a spot next year. He doesn’t want to falter.
“I have some work to do at Pipe,” he added.
Colapinto (No. 1 in the qualifying series), Carmichael (No. 4 in the QS) and Andino (No. 8 in the CT) have no such worries. They’re guaranteed a spot in the big leagues next year.
Hawaii’s Barron Mamiya added some colorful decorations to his trophy case Saturday. By making it to the semifinals, he was named the Triple Crown’s rookie of the year. Mamiya also placed second to Hawaii’s Benji Brand in the WSL’s Hawaii/Tahiti Nui Region yearlong championship, and he won the region’s junior championship.
Hawaii will have four on the championship tour next year — Florence, Kauai’s Sebastian Zietz (No. 10 in CT), Keanu Asing (No. 9 in QS) and Ezekiel Lau (No. 10 in QS).
