Not like we didn’t see it coming. Day one of the 2023 CT season got off to a stale start. The forecast had us prepared though, and the consensus is that none of us really cared that the waves were not going to shine. We were all ready for the Title Race to begin. That dreaded, ugly, stupid, useless, one-day Title.
Everyone just wants more surfing. All the time. More content. More shit to fill their eye holes and ear tunnels with. The Woz should just live stream and vlog every surfer throughout the entirety of the contest window. Would get many more viewers than whatever they’re logging on Apple Plus. Would also be more entertaining than the competition we saw today.
This day one was a far cry from the Pipeline we saw one year ago. I couldn’t help but compare the first heat of each event. This year we had Miggy Pupo nabbing a 6.83 for threading through this little backdoor runner. Whereas last year, we saw Owen get wickedly underscored for this 7.17. Apples to oranges.
Going to run it down quickly for you:
OPENING ROUND
HEAT 1 – Ian Gentil lost. His style stood out. Miggy Pupo beat Nat Young at pigdogging.
HEAT 2 – Joao got the wave of the day. Jake Marshall showed more life than he did all of 2022 for a 7.5. Kanoa was stymied into the elimination round.
HEAT 3 – A sleeper. LOB threaded a long one near the start of the heat. He looked the strongest out there, but Ewing won the heat by slipping out of a doggy door that Liam couldn’t find. Kolohe lost.
HEAT 4 – The drama for the day. Right off the buzzer JackRobbo revealed his mentality for the year – Win at all costs. An aggressive paddle behind and around Zeke Lau, as well as a crippled Jaddy, left the Brazilian journeyman out to dry. Unknown if Jadson saw him, Jack was burnt and Andre received interference. Zeke wins the heat with about a minute and a half left, zigging and zagging through a tight backdoor tube before slamming the end section. Needing a 7.13 he gets a 7.17. The knee-brace-donning, crutch using Jadson to Elimination Round.
HEAT 5 – Fighting boredom. It’s not boring, but I just want more. Its Pipe damnit. Seth Moniz wins by muscling out of a left. Italo looks as quick as ever, just couldn’t find a good one. Imai deVault 3rd place.
HEAT 6 – My disappointment for the day. Of course Filipe pounced at his opportunity to surf Pipeline in conditions that looked more like a Brazilian Beach Break. He had only a 1 on the board until under 7 minutes left. He only caught one other wave, a 5 for a smaller, longer backdoor barrel. Jacko Baker hammered one turn for a 3. Josh Moniz couldn’t find a wave at home for a heat total of 1.50.
HEAT 7 – Tightest heat of the round. All 3 surfers within a point of each other. Griffin won with a bowl-to-air-reverse combo, a 6.33. Wonder how that would’ve scored in the reimagined Vans Pipe Masters? Barron needed a 3.60 with less than a minute to avoid the losers round. Stomping a short backside reverse, with a little snap to boot sent Michael Rodrigues down to the danger zone with a 3.83. We’re two close calls in, both going in favor of the Hawaians.
HEAT 8 – On paper, Kelly had a walk through. Caio had other plans. Somehow, he still gets it done. Slater was safe in second, due to Carlos Munoz unfortunately only catching one wave – a 0.50.
HEAT 9 – The wind is very noticeable now. Jordy packed a pretty good one and won the heat. Maxime Huscenot struggled and O’leary was fine.
HEAT 10 – The only reason to watch this heat is for Sammy Pupo’s claim at the end. He needed a 3.47. He got a 3.50 and advanced in second over McGillivray. Did the claim get it? I don’t know. Rio Waida surprisingly won this heat.
HEAT 11 – Waves are shit. Over 15 minutes into the heat until a wave ridden over a 1. Just waiting for the next one. R.Cal slips through two cones and takes the W. CalRob cruises in 2nd, while Yago toils.
HEAT 12 – The rivalry. The returns to competition. The anticipation, the hype. All for this? Would this moment live up to any of its promises? In these conditions? That was answered about 10 minutes in, when Gabby weaved through this backdoor peashooter for a 7.67. On rides like this I wonder what that finishing maneuver would have added, had it been landed. John battled back with a 6.33 for an impressive read through a backdoor tube, followed by two lip line hits. Not enough. Gabby bests John in their first matchup of the year by less than a point. Oh yeah, Leo was out there too. He lost.
ELIMINATION ROUND
Maybe a bit of a surprise to run this in the given conditions. I would not have been happy surfing Pipe like that in a heat which could very well decide my future on tour. Again, we see and know the forecast, so not sure what else could be done. I just couldn’t help but feel for the surfers.
HEAT 1 – Kanoa looked to be in trouble through most of the heat. He had two rides under a 1 point score with 13 minutes left in the heat. Michael Rodrigues held a couple of 3’s, and Josh Moniz had the heat high 5.67. Last years world #5 finally found an in-and-out Backdoor wave for a 5.23. This wave turned the heat. He took the lead with a 4 for two forehand turns. Lastly he caught the most impressive wave of this 35 minute period, a big snap, straight into a small stretched out barrel section, with a doggy door exit. An impressive finish. M.Rod knocked out local wildcard Josh Moniz with a longer, messy barrel for a 5.70 late. He needed a 5.35. He also claimed this wave.
HEAT 2 – Yago came into form. He led the entire heat, building on all of his scores. Small Pipe barrel for a 4. Completely blistered a Backdoor wave with turns for a 6. Got one of the best waves on the left of the day for a 6.83. Lastly, stomped a huge full rotation on a left launch pad for 6.60. Maxime advanced over the other local wildcard Imai deVault.
HEAT 3 – Matt McGillivray lost because he couldn’t find a second barrel. Carlos Munoz advanced in second, and Leo won the heat with a busted watch.
HEAT 4 – Kolohe and Ian Gentil scrapped to advance over wounded warrior Jadson Andre. He hobbled off into the sunset to prepare for Sunset.
And that was it. The lackluster beginning of the year. The waves; it’s always about the waves. But we don’t care. If there are some of our favorite, most talented surfers riding those waves, we will watch. Slowly we move towards the atrocity of Lowers. Someone will be victorious here in Hawaii. Victory and glory are not the same. Ask Filipe Toledo.
Cheers,
hwilsin