Kelly Slater, 2/2 at Pipe this winter. Photo: Bielmann
The black sails of the Volcom Corporation are a welcoming sight for the Hawaiian contingency. The last five years, the brand has provided a prestigious platform for locals and international ‘QS grinders to wrap up the winter with one final hoorah. The contest allows webcast junkies the chance to see surfers outside of the top 34 do battle at the Banzai. The grittiness of “The Volcom” is ever-apparent as 124 warriors battle for 8 slots into the ASP grand finale and the chance to knock The Prince of Pipe from his throne.
The event is synonymous with the brilliance of John John Florence. Oahu’s favorite son has been the defending champion for the last three years running though John’s winning record is not for lack of an admirable opponent. In 2012, Florence stole the win in the dying seconds from the controversial hands of Pipeline playboy, Jamie O’Brien.
Last time we saw John in a jersey at his home break, Slater reminded the surfing world that the King’s time has not yet come to pass. Florence’s revenge would have to wait until next year’s Pipe Masters as he was knocked out of his opening heat by two Pipe rookies, Parker Coffin and Evan Geiselman. Transworld Surf expat, Chris Coté, perhaps said it best, “This event is all about the underdogs.”
The Volcom Pipeline Pro being a 5-star World Qualifying series event does not entail that it has second-class athletes donning jerseys. The $130,000 dollar prize purse and the chance to surf against the world’s best makes this event one of the most sought-after victories in surfing. Instead of battling for a world title, competitors are looking to start their season off with a good result to see them qualify for the dream tour.
The prestige of the Pipeline comes with its faithful followers–a group of fearless individuals who base their year around the most famous wave in the world. The local favorites were in full force. Mason Ho and Torrey Meister represented the islands with bravado, but unfortunately for the great 808, Ola Eleogram broke his ankle in his quarterfinal appearance. The man with the hottest gal in surfing was looking like the darkhorse to take the event before a vicious closeout ended his dream run.
Conditions varied greatly throughout the 13-day waiting period. Kicking off the first day of competition at Gums, event coordinators were able to run through preliminary heats to ensure the finals ran in classic Pipeline fashion. Fortunately for finalists Kelly Slater, Wiggoly Dantas, Adriano De Souza and crowd favorite Mason Ho, the tradewinds eased as the final heat commenced.
As soon as the horn sounded, Slater would blitz a Backdoor bomb to net a 9.53 and a head start on his fellow finalist. The 11-time world champion surfed with reckless abandon, pulling into anything and everything without concern for the Quiksilver Pro just a few weeks away. De Souza and Dantas would make a late charge at the three minute mark, but the Brazilian storm would have to wait. Slater would overcome his aversion to four man heats to win his first Volcom Pipe Pro.
Volcom demonstrated once again why it’s capable of hosting the best events on the planet. The webcast was on par with the quality you come to expect from them and their commitment to environmental sustainability is highly commendable for a company of its grandeur. Big wave cowboy, Dave Wassell, is always a hilarious addition to the online viewership and surf fans worldwide can’t wait until Fiji to hear his blatant and comical Hawaiian bias. Coupling the colorful commentary with true wildcards courtesy of their vibrant surf team, it’s clear to me that Volcom events are setting the standard within the surf industry.
Final Results
1. Kelly Slater | 15.70
2. Wiggoly Dantas | 13.70
3. Mason Ho | 11.50
4. Adriano De Souza | 10.70
