By sneaking through the Backdoor yesterday, Bruce Irons put himself in position to win the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout.

Irons scored two better-than-perfect rides yesterday to take over the lead in the unique contest.

The third and fourth rounds were run yesterday in picturesque waves of 6 to 10 feet at the Banzai Pipeline.

Waves were breaking at both the left-handed Pipeline and right-handed Backdoor breaks, but most of the high scores were recorded at Backdoor.

"I haven't surfed Backdoor that good in maybe two years," Kaua'i's Irons said. "That was so much fun. It's what a contest should be like."

The Backdoor Shootout features 32 elite surfers — most of them considered experts at surfing treacherous North Shore waves.

Unlike other surfing contests, the Backdoor Shootout allows each surfer to compete in the same amount of heats, and there are no eliminations.

Each surfer's final score is based on his top three waves, and those three waves can come from any heat, any day.

"I love the format," Irons said. "You can go all out in every heat — just keep going for big scores, and not worry about losing out."

In another rule unique to the Backdoor Shootout, surfers can receive bonus points for rides that are deemed better than a perfect 10.

Irons did that twice yesterday.

On one ride through a Backdoor barrel, he received a 45.7 out of 40 (there are four judges, so a perfect 10 from each judge equals 40).

"Made the late drop, and didn't think I was going to make it out," Irons said. "But I saw a little doggy door and snuck out."

After the first two rounds of competition on Tuesday, Jamie O'Brien of O'ahu's North Shore appeared to have a commanding lead. Now, O'Brien is in second.

"I'm a million times more nervous just sitting here watching the other guys," he said.

Then, when Irons received his big score, O'Brien said: "See what I mean? Bruce is killing it."

Through four rounds, Irons has a total score of 127.2 for his three best rides. O'Brien is at 120.4.

Contest officials would like to run one more round, if the waves cooperate. If the waves are not contestable, Irons would be declared the champion.

But Irons was not necessarily praying for no surf.

"If the waves are good, keep running it," Irons said. "Why not? It's about getting to surf Pipeline with four guys out."

Maui's Ola Eleogram had a better-than-perfect score of 45.1 yesterday, and is currently in third place with a three-wave total of 109.1.

"This is the most fun contest I've ever done," he said. "And the waves are insane. I'd actually be so happy if they called it off right now and I got third."

Other surfers still in contention include Marcus Hickman, Mark Healey, Myles Padaca, Reef McIntosh and Nathan Fletcher.

"If we run again (today) anything can happen," Irons said. "Somebody could get three big scores in one heat and take it. That's what's good about it."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.