Paige Alms and Ian Walsh Claim Victory at WSL BWT Pe’ahi Challenge
PE’AHI, Maui, Hawaii/USA (Saturday, October 28, 2017) - Paige Alms (HAW) and Ian Walsh (HAW) have won the World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Tour (BWT) Pe'ahi Challenge today in towering 30-to-40 foot-plus conditions at the world famous Pe‘ahi in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.
The second event of the 2017/2018 BWT season tested the top big wave chargers as a solid swell delivered massive surf over two days at Pe’ahi with wave faces exceeding 45 feet. Event officials have rated this year’s Pe’ahi Challenge a Gold coefficient, the highest possible BWT rating, which will allocate 15,625 points to first place.
2016 Women’s Big Wave Champion Alms successfully defended her event title today after defeating a stacked field of competitors in the Final. Alms, who became the first ever Women’s Big Wave Champion at Pe’ahi last season, made history once again with her unprecedented big wave victory.
“I feel so grateful to be able to sit out in an empty lineup at firing, perfect Jaws,” Alms said. “It doesn’t get much better than that. Every single one of the women today sent it on a bomb. There were big waves out there and I was kind of kicking myself for not going on one set, but I just feel super stoked and honored.”
The Women’s Pe’ahi Challenge saw all six competitors charge monstrous set waves in the 60-minute Final. Alms stayed selective throughout the Final, utilizing her local knowledge to take off on two gigantic waves for the winning score, an excellent 21.23 combined score (out of a possible 30).
“Anyone that says they're not scared of this place, I think they’re lying,” continued Alms. “I think it’s the most powerful and intimidating big wave anywhere in the world, by far. I definitely look up to Ian (Walsh) and I’m super stoked that he won it. We couldn’t have asked for anything more - it definitely put on a show so thanks Pe’ahi!”
Big wave veteran Keala Kennelly (HAW) earned second place in the women’s event with four fearless attempts. Kennelly turned in a 17.21 heat score, including an impressive completion for a 7.17 single-wave score. Justine Dupont (FRA) looked in great form with three big attempts and took the third place result. Bianca Valenti (USA), Andrea Moller (BRA) and Felicity Palmateer (AUS) also charged the epic conditions to earn fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Walsh earned his career-first BWT victory after dominating his Round 1 heat and the Final series. The 34-year-old, who was invited to compete as an event wildcard, capitalized on his opportunity to earn first place at his home break in Haiku and vault up to third place on the BWT rankings.
“This is a really big honor and I'm stoked that I can follow Billy (Kemper) and keep this thing on Maui,” said Walsh. “It was an incredible couple days of surfing, some challenging lulls but everyone here surfed really, really well and it was a pleasure to be in the water with them. It was fun to watch each heat almost, our sport progress as the waves got bigger and better. It feels just like those big free surf days, so I'm really honored and stoked."
The men’s Final saw heated battles amongst the top six competitors. 2014/15 BWT ChampionMakuakai Rothman (HAW) gained an early lead with a 5.60, but the field quickly battled back with big attempts. Two-time Pe’ahi Challenge winner Billy Kemper (HAW) opened his campaign with a committed 5.43 and maintained his do-or-die mentality after taking off impossibly deep on an enormous wave for a 6.57 backup score.
Kai Lenny (HAW), winner of the Puerto Escondido Challenge and BWT rankings frontrunner ahead of Maui, narrowly missed a collision with Ryan Hipwood (AUS) in the Final after committing to an under-the-ledge late drop into a 35-foot wave. Lenny managed to successfully ride out his first wave and stamp out a rail-carve for a 6.93 from the judges, then found a 4.40 backup score to finish fourth in the event. Lenny’s result strengthens his lead on the BWT with Kemper following closely behind and Walsh moving up to third.
Big wave veteran and Pe‘ahi professional Greg Long (USA) displayed good control throughout the event and maintained deep positioning in the lineup during the Final. En route to a fifth-place finish, Long took a high-line approach on his first wave in a barrel-hunt attempt and completed two rides to the channel for a combined heat score of 14.67.
The men’s second Semifinal saw event-best performances from both Walsh and Hipwood. Both surfers dropped Perfect 10’s for navigating steep takeoffs and cavernous barrels, with Walsh flying through two tube sections prior to winning the event.
Ahead of his runner-up result, Kemper narrowly got the edge over Danilo Couto (BRA) andMark Healey (HAW) in Semifinal 1. Knowing Healey’s capabilities at Pe‘ahi, Kemper stayed close to the 35-year-old waterman in order to secure his position in the Final. Couto kept busy on the left-hand breaks, but fell just 0.57 points short of advancing through to the Final and will exit in Equal 7th place.
2017/18 BWT Women's Pe'ahi Challenge Final Results:
1 - Paige Alms (HAW) 21.23
2 - Keala Kennelly (HAW) 17.21
3 - Justine Dupont (FRA) 14.36
4 - Bianca Valenti (USA) 10.86
5 - Andrea Moller (BRA) 6.41
6 - Felicity Palmateer (AUS) 4.54
2017/18 BWT Men's Pe'ahi Challenge Final Results:
1 - Ian Walsh (HAW) 21.67
2 - Billy Kemper (HAW) 18.57
3 - Makuakai Rothman (HAW) 18.46
4 - Kai Lenny (HAW) 18.26
5 - Greg Long (USA) 14.67
6 - Ryan Hipwood (AUS) 6.60
2017/18 BWT Men's Pe'ahi Challenge Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Makuakai Rothman (HAW) 16.61, Greg Long (USA) 13.74, Billy Kemper (HAW) 11.83, Danilo Couto (BRA) 11.26, Mark Healey (HAW) 7.77, Cristian Merello (CHL) 4.66
SF 2: Ryan Hipwood (AUS) 26.50, Kai Lenny (HAW) 26.31, Ian Walsh (HAW) 25.33, Albee Layer (HAW) 24.23, Lucas Chianca (BRA) 22.19, Jamie Mitchell (AUS) 16.44
2017/18 BWT Women's BWT Rankings (after Pe’ahi Challenge):
1 -Paige Alms (HAW) 15,625 pts
2 - Keala Kennelly (HAW) 13,020 pts
3 - Justine Dupont (FRA) 10,850 pts
4 - Bianca Valenti (USA) 9,042 pts
5 - Andrea Moller (BRA) 7,536 pts
2017/18 Men's BWT Rankings (after Pe’ahi Challenge):
1 -Kai Lenny (HAW) 19,042 pts
2 - Billy Kemper (HAW) 18,807 pts
3 - Ian Walsh (HAW) 15,625 pts
4 - Makuakai Rothman (HAW) 13,920 pts
5 - Jamie Mitchell (AUS) 10,647 pts
Comments
As has been commented elsewhere, the lulls in this swell made for dull viewing at times but when there was a flurry it was about as engaging a specatcle as could be imagined. If you were gonna watch just one heat then Semi 2, the one that garnered the two tens, would be the one. The waves from that heat will fill most of the highlight reels, and if it was like that all day then viewer numbers would be off the charts. As it was I just couldn't imagine many people sitting through twenty minute lulls on a weekend.
In another thread Lanky Dean questioned the format, saying the top scores of the round (i.e from any heat) should progress, and not just the top scores of that particular heat. The example he used was Greg Long progressing with 13.something while Makua Rothman, who scored 16.something, didn't.
It's worth considering, especially as there's no priority in these contests so everyone gets an equal shot, and the judging criteria is fairly basic compard to the CT and so closer to an objective reading - i.e the judges agree a wave was X height so the score reflects that.
Problems exist if, say, the wind comes up between heats. There'll still be big waves but not the opportunity to get barrelled so the later heats will be at a disadvantage.
Lastly, for all the progress the inflatable vest has allowed we should acknowledge that something has also been lost. In the Final Kai Lenny got caught inside on a huge set. So badly out of position was he that he began paddling toward land when the first wave bore down on him. Watching it through the lens of pre-vest times it was horrific; a worst case scenario writ large.
Yet with his vest on, Kai was under less than ten seconds, rescued by a sled the next wave, and back in the lineup - paddling back to where he just got caught - less than three minutes later after deflating and replacing the canisters.
"What, me worry?"
Of course the vest doesn't prevent surfers from getting collected by the lip and there were some absolute bell ringers through the day.
I only watched a few heats but what I did see was close to a high water mark for WSL broadcasts. Great waves (when they came through), incredible surfing (how were Hippo's and Ian's barrels!) and some genuine life-or-death moments (can you imagine what was going through Kai Lenny 's mind before he got pulverised?). Commentary was unreal too with a great mix of personalities.
Only disappointing thing is that these kinds of events (and thus webcasts) will be limited to a handful every year.
The talk amongst crew at my local is the change in the interpretation of the judging criteria. Last year surfers had to make a wave or at least a major section to get a decent score, this year just a takeoff can get you a big score. Meanwhile on the main tour surfers have to ride out in front of the whitewater after landing a massive air or they get poor scores. Why such a radical change from last year and how does Joe public hope to understand the sport of surfing? It seems to me that if my body could survive 6 massive wipeouts, I could win one of these just by taking off on the bigger set waves and getting smashed. I question the judging scale being so close when scoring a late take-off into oblivion compared to a late take-off to made deep barrel. Surely the score difference should be night and day not decimals.
What do the rest of you think?
I think you should show some respect to MP and not use his name.
Hi rooftop, nice to see you stick up for the late great MP, however it is my name as well (initials) and I am paying homage to MP by using an iconic image of him in his prime.
Sorry mate, you got me unfiltered there. Was a bit like seeing the FB account of a dead friend or something.
I appreciate the equanimity and I get ya now. Carry on.
All good rooftop
The way Ian Walsh surfed that barrel on a wave that size in semi final 2 was unbelievable...how does it rate amongst biggest barrels ever??
Of the heats I was lucky enough to watch, I think it was one of the best surfing events I've ever seen. There were lulls it's true but if anything they just heightened the anticipation of what was to come. I found it hard to drag myself away and the commentary was great.
Regarding the scoring of incomplete waves, I think they've got it right. No you couldn't win a heat by just catching a set on the head, but if you were to take off deep and pull in under the lip in classy, controlled and incredibly courageous way, so much more score worthy than taking off on the shoulder and completing.
As for having lost something in this age of inflation vests and jet ski support, I don't see that as an issue. We live in a world where OH&S and WH&S is part of every endeavor, I don't think they're any less brave for having less chance of dying.
A big well done to all the guys and girls involved. Look forward to the next contest.
Alternative Format
Final as per highest scores of semi final round
R Hipwood 26.50, K Lenny 26.31,
I Walsh 25.33, A Layer 24.23, L Chiana 22.19 M Rothman 16.61 .
Ians barrel is one of the best ever at jaws , Very deep a backdoor type, only thing was its not as big as dorians barrells .
Rating in top 5 best jaws paddle..