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The Queen was knocked out early and will need a solid result at Sunset to stay ahead of the pesky mid-season cut.
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One could argue that Tyler Wright has never looked better......
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...or more dialed in.
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Molly Picklum enjoyed a helluva run until she met Carissa Moore in the quarters.
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Caio Ibelli once again proved his mettle at Pipeline. And set himself up for season-long run with a semifinal appearance.
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Not Mr. Slater's best event. But not terrible. He fell to Yago Dora in the Round of 32....
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...and managed a few keepers.
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His fans were still out in force, expressing themselves in unique ways.
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Oooof...plenty of these on offer.
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Jack Robinson has a special relationship with this wave. And the people of the North Shore.
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The ultimate showman. Always.
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Airs like this prove it.
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Mr. Robinson, on his way to his first Pipe win.
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John John had a dynamic run through the event and luck, it could be argued, gave Jack Robinson the win over him in the quarters.
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Nice seeing John John back in form....
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...with maneuvers like this.
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Don't sleep on Jordy Smith, who went down in the quarters to Leonardo Fioravanti
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Leonardo Fioravanti, easily the best Italian surfer ever.
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João Chianca with a semifinal run.
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Lakey Peterson made a semifinal run of her own.
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As did Bettylou Sakura Johnson
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But Moore is still the one to bet on against the field.
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Pipeline. Always good for a crowd.
As we’ve established, Pipeline wasn’t its usual self for the opening event of the Championship Tour season. But few waves on the planet are as contestable when they aren’t in premium form. The wave still allowed for machine-like opportunities (barrels, turns, airs) to kick off the season. Competitors simply had to choose the right wave in a sea of closeouts. And Carissa Moore and Jack Robinson did that better than anyone else this week.
Pipeline is always a spectacle. That’s why I unleashed veteran photographer Tom Servais on the sand to give us a photographic tour of the Billabong Pro Pipeline. And as per his usual, he delivered in spades. Above, you’ll find a look at the Pro Pipe in all its glory, from the spectators to the showmanship of the competitors, to the many faces of the wave itself.
Pipeline is a wrap for now, which has to make locals feel somewhat relieved. It’s on to Sunset for the final stop of the Tour’s Hawaiian leg. And the drama has already begun as many of the top seeds were knocked out early at Pipeline. The cut looms.
