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Yes folks, the Pipe Masters contest is on! Today was the start of the waiting period, and after very lackluster start to the North Shore surf season the ocean awoke with the first big west swell of the season. At times it was too big, with the waves forming on the Outer Reefs and washing all the way through the lineup, creating a mass jumbled mess of whitewater.
I made it out early with fellow surf fan Jasmine, we weren’t the very first on the beach but early enough that we were able to pick a good spot on the sand before the crowds moved in. By 9am it was shoulder to shoulder and tripod to tripod at the water’s edge. Occasionally on a larger set a rogue wave would sweep up the beach with water up to knee deep. I’ve got heaps of surf photography experience, so I strap my fairly light camera bag upon my tripod, and just let the water swirl about as I hold on to the tripod.
Above is Bruce Irons from Kauai. Bruce’s brother Andy Irons was a 4 time winner at this contest, and sadly passed away last year. The contest is held this year in his honor. Bruce got this big one, but did not advance past the first round.
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Mason Ho slots a great line in the tube.
Mason’s father Micheal Ho won the Pipe Masters in 1982, an iconic event for me as a young surfer. Micheal had broken his wrist a few days before and surfed the contest with a fiberglass cast on right arm. The cast actually seemed to help his surfing, the added paddling drag made every drop a late one, and instead of releasing his hands off the board he held the rail through the drop and the tube. Although he wasn’t the first to do it, (that was probably Larry Bertleman or Dane Kealoha) since that contest the backside rail-grab drop to tube has been the accepted Pipeline technique, and Micheal’s son Mason continues that tradition. Mason’s excellent surfing advanced him through to Round 3.
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Ian Walsh from Maui on one of the highest scoring tubes of the day. He is really making a critical turn under the lip. He got “completely disappeared” as the speech challenged contest announcer hollered after Ian cleanly exited the tube. Quite a ride.
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(Why I ride Future Fins. This is an inside surf joke.)
Competitor Jack Freestone surveys the damage to his formerly three fin board after taking a heavy beating. There were lots of broken board, leashes, and a few injuries. It was not an easy day at the beach for the surfers.
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Dane Laughs.
Dane Reynolds had just gotten smoked by former Pipe Master Champion Jamie O’Brien. He exited the water near me and walked up looking somewhat glum. I hollered out ‘Good Job Dane’, which caught his attention and as he looked up I brought my second camera up to my eye. He paused and looked at me, and I went to take the shot but had replaced the lens cap, blocking my view. He cracked up at my blundering error, and I snagged a frame of him continuing to laugh after I quickly popped the lens cap off.
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Yeah, wait ’til they see what’s behind this one, which mowed over everyone except John John Florence at the top.
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John John Florence takes a heavy drop. The Triple Crown points leader was a standout today, showing his skill at his backyard wave, and he’s a favorite to win this contest.
I’m also shooting the action in black and white, and I’ll show you all some of those when I do the film.
That’s it for my quick edit, looks like I’ll be heading out for more action early in the morning.
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