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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.