Swell time for surfers at Pipeline Masters
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The world championship will not be at stake, but lots of drama is still expected during the Billabong Pipeline Masters men's surfing contest.
The Pipeline Masters is the final contest of both the 2007 World Championship Tour and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.
It will run on the four days when conditions are best between today and Dec. 20 at the Banzai Pipeline, off Ehukai Beach.
"It's still the Pipe Masters," said Randy Rarick, executive director of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. "It's the contest everybody looks forward to, no matter what."
Among the storylines:
Slater owns a record eight world championships, and is currently ranked No. 3 in the world.
Irons has won the Pipeline Masters four of the last five years, including the last two.
World Championship Tour contests are normally restricted to the 45 surfers on the tour. But 16 non-touring surfers — 15 from Hawai'i and one from Tahiti — have been invited to join the field in the Pipeline Masters.
Because of the unique wave at the Banzai Pipeline, an exemption was created to allow the specialists a chance to compete.
The 15 from Hawai'i: Tory Barron, Gavin Beschen, Mikey Bruneau, Shane Dorian, Danny Fuller, Gavin Gillette, Mikala Jones, Kainoa McGee, Flynn Novak, Jamie O'Brien, Myles Padaca, Roy Powers, Makua Rothman, Ian Walsh and Dave Wassel.
Representing Tahiti will be Manoa Drollet.
Hawai'i surfers Andy Irons and Pancho Sullivan are assured of requalifying.
However, fellow Hawai'i competitors Bruce Irons and Fred Patacchia Jr. need to win at least a few heats, or risk being cut from the 2008 tour.
Four surfers will be in the water at the same time, but as two separate one-on-one heats.
All other contests around the world use one-on-one heats, but North Shore rules require at least four surfers to be in the water for each heat. The "dual format" is a form of compromise, and should make for some interesting battles.
For example, Kelly Slater and Andy Irons could be in the water at the same time, but in separate heats and thus not competing against each other.
Australians Fanning, Bede Durbidge and Adrian Buchan are among the leaders, along with Hawai'i surfers Powers and Rothman.
Powers won the first event — the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach; Rothman took the second event — the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.
The Triple Crown title goes to the best overall performer in the three events. The winner gets a new Chevy truck and a Nixon watch valued at $10,000.
NOTES
There are 22 Hawai'i surfers in the field of 64 for the Pipeline Masters: four from the World Championship Tour, 15 "Pipeline Specialists," and three wildcard sponsor exemptions (T.J. Barron, Kalani Chapman and Sunny Garcia).
For daily status of the contest, call 596-7873 or visit www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.
