Pipe 2023: Day 4

freeride76's picture
By Steve Shearer (freeride76)
Photo: WSL/Heff

Pipe 2023: Day 4

Steve Shearer picture
Steve Shearer (freeride76)
Form Guide

As I said on Day 1, the Woz would paradoxically get some much needed shine off the talk about a dire forecast when “good enough” Pipe and Backdoor provided some golden moments. Which is a reasonable one sentence summary of today.

Of course, you had to be in the spot with the skill set ready to make sense of the golden moments, and by and large the big dogs were the ones able to execute. None more so that JJF who typically comes to life in the golden light of a Pipe afternoon and effortlessly threw down the highest heat total of the day with a total disappearing act behind a multi-sectioned Backdoor runner which was so prolonged even a professional camera operator turned their lens away. Luckily we got the drone and Off the Wall angles to fully appreciate the ride. Fans demanded 10 points, judges held the dessert and dished out a 9.93. To be honest, it wasn't a full disappointment for me after Gabe Medina's much heavier no hands Backdoor drainer did not get awarded a perfect score. A minority view I realise.

"Even John won't find the exit," said Kaipo about this Backdoor semi-closeout (WSL/Heff)

A huge day of surfing with over-lapping heats through the Rounds of 32 and 16. Eliminated in the Round of 32 (so second last or 17th place) with its measly 1,330 points on offer makes it extremely difficult to avoid having one's head in the stocks with a guillotine blade above it come Margaret River in May. Especially if your name is Kelly Slater.

Slater froze in the opening twenty minutes of his heat with Yago Dora while Yago threw a couple of small scores at judges with turns and airs. Then he panicked, packing pure closeouts in the last twenty with priority. He finished with a total heat score of 2.43 and not a single make in forty minutes of surfing clean 3 - 8 foot Pipe/Backdoor. The excuses were ready to go: he'd felt really sick yesterday with a fever (though felt fine today), he was out of rhythm etc etc. Now with Sunset, Portugal, Bells, and Margies ahead, all weak events for the Champ (he only got out of the Round of 32 at one of those events last year - a Round of 16 finish at Portugal) the Goat is presenting a very large and imminent danger to the WSL.

If he fails the cut, what do they do? Make or Break: Season 2 is heavily invested in Slater and he remains a golden ticket as a draw for the Woz.

A Surf Ranch without Slater competing at his own Tub is unthinkable, which means Woz will be forced into a series of embarrassing wildcards. The precedent has been set with Owen Wright and Sally Fitz - some talent is deemed too big to fail. Slater is now cannon fodder when he's away from Pipe and Chopes, and he just lost early at Pipe and has a mid-season cut between here and Tahiti.

Is this how he is going to go out?

Some face-saving manoeuvre will have to be adopted but there is no easy option on hand, barring a miracle Slater performance at Sunset.

Slater finished 17th, which after 32 starts is his worst Pipe performance (WSL/Heff)

By contrast to the sports psycho-babble of yesterday, today was more aligned with simple, observable reality. Rhythm was key as multiple contestants fell foul of a slow, and damnably shifty, swell. Small Backdoor runners, random Pipe bombs, and all variations of wave in between. Heat totals less than 2 were commonplace.

“There's no science behind it,” observed heat winner Leo Fioravanti after dispatching a hapless Griffin Colapinto. “If you aren't in rhythm it's hard to get into it”.

Jordy identified the high-minded components of his mental game after spiking the best Backdoor wave of the first few heats to defeat Nat Young: "Gardening, surfing everyday, a bit of home maintenance.”

Jack Robinson was even more disconnected from pro sports cliché. "I've been sleepin', getting my energy, cruisin' on Hawaiian time,” he said after an easy win over M-Rod, who managed a heat total of 0.97.

"I've been sleepin'," said Jack, making him possibly the first pro athlete to say that while wearing a Red Bull cap (WSL/Heff)

The morning wasn't without drama as Caio Ibelli withstood an interference call after a mix-up with Zeke Lau. I saw it Ibelli's way who claimed in the post-heat presser that Zeke was “intentionally trying to interfere”. To my eye, Zeke tried to paddle over the top of him on a closeout he had no intention of riding.

Jim Morrison said you cannot petition the Lord with prayer, but that didn't stop Caio from trying, and, no doubt in his mind, succeeding. His single highest score of a 7 for a heavy Backdoor escape was enough to best Zeke's two-wave total.

Who's been a good boy then? Caio drafts another IOU to the big fella (WSL/Heff)

Like Slater, God may be a problem for the Woz to deal with, down the track. The Woz has made clear its disdain for fans but its primary aim of buttering up big corporate sponsors like Apple may come into conflict with the Christian beliefs of a large chunk of its athletes. Apple walks the corporate progressive line - some call it woke capitalism - whilst the athletes may have a different social agenda at play. We've already seen this conflict with Bethany Hamilton and further ructions down the track look likely, no matter how much spin the WSL employs.

Another mixed bag for the rookies. You can get lucky with an easy draw and no-one deserved that more than Liam O'Brien. Minus any chest-thumping or finger-pointing claims, he threaded a few lefts and rights against Ethan Ewing for a very narrow victory, then backed it up in the Round of 16 with a very weak win against Seth Moniz, who basically got nothing. No matter, the QF finish (or better) is a huge fillip for his year. He's smart and adaptable and skilled enough to run on from here.

Rio Waida made a strong heat to beat Connor O'Leary, while Maxime Huscenot threw up good numbers but was bested by Miggy Pupo.

Sophomore Joao Chianca looked solid, if occasionally a little skitzy in his heat wins and finds himself in the quarters for the second year running after putting an L next to both Kanoa and Rio Waida.

Joao on his "undeserved" - his words - 8.67 (WSL/Heff)

Used to be Slater who had the alchemical magic - paddling into anything and transforming it into huge scores. That mantle now belongs to Medina, and JJF to a lesser extent.

Goofies had looked very vulnerable in the opening thirteen heats of the day; prone to getting shut down on clampy lefts and unable to navigate throaty Backdoor caverns.

Medina scratched over a ledge into a double-up and no handed his way through the heaviest pit of the day. No armbar needed. If you see one wave today, go watch that 9.33 in his heat against Jake Marshall.

Gabs relaxes into his highest score of the day, while the claim at the end was a study in contrasts (WSL/Heff)

Jack Robinson was magnanimous in victory after squeaking past Medina in their Round of 16 match-up. He decried meeting Medina so early, said there were many more match-ups ahead this year and struck a tone in tune with what the afternoon had offered up. “Enjoying what today is,” said Jack. “Just kind of surfing”.

The scrappy head-butting for position, paddle battles, and intense competition showed Robbo may be an honourary member of the Brazilian Storm but there won't be any disarming of the Medina method with membership. It could have gone either way. Gabe double armbarred his way through a Pipe set then threw a huge, lofted reverse into the trades, just failing to land on the bolts.

That was the winning wave.

John in the last heat of the day was ridiculous. Once it became clear the pressure was off, he free-surfed and showed he is the best surfer in the world at Pipe, in Hawaii, potentially everywhere bar Lower Trestles, where he's probably only middle of the pack. Meanwhile, Filipe Toledo squeaked through, giggling that his easy draw was creating another inevitability - a back to back World Title run.

I guess if you're Toledo you'd say it's God's plan.

The Woz is no doubt hoping God stays in his lane.

// STEVE SHEARER

Comments

mpeachy's picture
mpeachy's picture
mpeachy Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 4:51pm

Liam O'Brien was owed an easy run, basically had to qualify twice for this season

BarbB's picture
BarbB's picture
BarbB Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 5:09pm

wasn't there a heat when John scored five 9 point rides at Trestles?

Nakiboi's picture
Nakiboi's picture
Nakiboi Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 9:13pm

Yeah 2014 it's worth watching the replay on yt, some of the best surfing you will see.

Le_Reynard's picture
Le_Reynard's picture
Le_Reynard Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 5:44pm

Lumping Robbo in with the Brazzos is a bit harsh haha. I dig his intensity...sorry, 'calm' lol. As you said, how else can Medina be defeated? Gotta go after him, and he's scratching to. Those 3 (JJF) are so far ahead of the rest it's embarrassing. Hopefully we get to see many match ups of them, in good waves. Simple ingredients really

doolybird's picture
doolybird's picture
doolybird Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 6:01pm

Good summary.....but I dont know what heat you watched with Slater and Dora.....there were very few... nay no waves in that first 20 minutes....probably one of the quietest of all the heats....but youre right in that Kelly did not change his game plan and panicked at the end. The slowness of those first few heats I reckon is perfectly represented by the fact that Caio still won...and Lau couldnt find the fark all score he needed.....and he's no dummy at pipe ....

Le_Reynard's picture
Le_Reynard's picture
Le_Reynard Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 6:04pm

While we're at it...invoking 'God' or insisting they are or -should- be involved with an Interference call in the Round of 32 at shitty Pipe is....blasphemous. The self-importance required. Good God!

kimbo1's picture
kimbo1's picture
kimbo1 Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 7:28pm

I was impressed with God getting back from Turkey in time for todays heats .

groundswell's picture
groundswell's picture
groundswell Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 6:32pm

Jeez Slaters style looks a bit too front foot heavy to me in that tube up there, kind of looks unstylish sort of, but maybe ive been watching too many style master videos.
Or is a it a torus channel he is using under the front foot?

groundswell's picture
groundswell's picture
groundswell Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 8:41pm

Guess its just a mid pump drive and a slightly awkward moment/timing.Semi poo stance compared to Torryn etc.

groundswell's picture
groundswell's picture
groundswell Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 11:19pm

Jeez i didnt know what the hell im talking about in my first post, its just front foot weighted after the bloody pump to drive either out of the possible clamping tube doggy door exit or front foot weighted to drive down after a back foot upward pump into a front foot downward pump for a slightly narrow tube he might have hopes of making...Either way i was just talking bollocks saying he looked unstylish guess i havent surfed a shortboard in too long in barelling waves and actually pumped through a tube in too long.

Looks pretty stylish to me now for some reason after my first wine for the day.

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 11:30pm

Everything looks different after the first wine of the day Groundie.

nextswell's picture
nextswell's picture
nextswell Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 7:28pm

Had to come out of the woodwork to comment. Steve’s bias for Gabe is almost as bad as my favouritism of JJF. Genuinely love the daily event run downs. Always on point and I can never work out how they are turned around so quickly. Just think though Steve, without injury how many titles would John have?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 7:35pm

At least 3, probably 4.

nextswell's picture
nextswell's picture
nextswell Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 7:37pm

Johns injuries over the past five yrs since winning consecutive titles. I’ve worked out what all the Brazilians have been praying for. There must be a god!

clif's picture
clif's picture
clif Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 8:29pm

I am not a WSL watcher anymore , but I read Steve’s words to learn how to do sports journalism. It makes it all interesting. There’s stories to tell and I get characters. Maybe ditch the whole show and just have a Steve write this as fiction

dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 8:34pm

The WSL has a GOAT. Now it needs its own GOD. AFL has one, so why not?
JJF nailed some divine surfing today, Greatest Of Demall!

Roadkill's picture
Roadkill's picture
Roadkill Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 9:57pm

I don’t think Slater is as big a draw card as previous. No real excitement when he paddles out anymore.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 10:17pm

There would have been plenty of excitement if it was 8-10ft pipe.
Anything else, you're probably right though.

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023 at 10:30pm

What about Leo?
Is he still in the mix?
He looked rock solid and making the most of his waves.