Seth Moniz knew he was coming out… but he’s the only one who did. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
There are a handful of people on this planet who have Pipeline dialed. Kelly Slater, John John Florence, and Jamie O’Brien might spring immediately to mind, but Seth Moniz should spring there, too.
A few mornings ago, Pipe surfers woke up to a pristine morning at the world’s most famous stretch of reef. Joel Tudor was there, casually threading his way through perfect barrels. Barron Mamiya, Ivan Florence, Ned Hart, and a bunch of others were too. All of them know Pipe and Backdoor extraordinarily well, so standing out in that pack is a tough thing to do. But Seth Moniz did, and he did it easily.
At the 1:05 mark, below, he strokes into a running Backdoor wave, pumps down the line, and disappears for too long. The barrel pinches to a pinhole, and somehow, Moniz comes flying out of it. It’s something he’s done countless times before, and Seth is never one to shout about his accomplishments from the rooftops, so someone’s got to do it for him.
