WILDCARDS DOMINATE OPENING DAY OF BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS
10th December 2008 (Pipeline-Hawaii): The Billabong Pipeline Masters got off to a flying start in Hawaii today with the dangerous reef break delivering mind blending tube rides for the opening rounds of competition.
With 16 Pipe specialists awarded wildcards into the final event of the ASP Men’s World Tour, it was the Hawaiian heavyweights and future stars that dominated the first day.
16-year-old hotshot Jon Jon Florence, 2004 event champion Jamie O’Brien, big wave surfer Shane Dorian and current Triple Crown ratings leader Dusty Payne all progressed easily through the first round with commanding heat wins.
For Florence, who first tackled the Billabong Pipeline Masters event when he was only 13, a late call up due to the withdrawal of compatriot Reef Macintosh paved the way for a huge win over Australian Jay Thompson. The stylish natural footer used a near perfect 9.73 and backed up with a 8.17 to leave Thompson needing a combination of scores and seeing his dream of qualification for the 2009 world tour go up in smoke.
25-year-old O’Brien used smart surfing to come from behind and steal a heat win over fellow Hawaiian Dustin Barca in round one. The man who many claim as one of the greatest Pipe surfers ever picked up a long backdoor tube ride in the last five minutes to score a 7.83 and take victory. He kept his momentum going in round two by beating Roy Powers (HAW) and earn a spot against the top 16 surfers seeded directly into the third round.
On target to be the youngest surfer to ever win the prestigious Triple Crown Of Surfing (The Three Hawaiian Events), 19-year-old Dusty Payne dominated backdoor Pipeline to win through two heats on the first day of competition.
Surfing with absolute precision in the challenging Pipeline waves, Payne currently leads Australians Joel Parkinson and Bede Durbidge for the Triple Crown Title. He easily beat Monoa Drollet (PYF) and Heitor Alves (BRA) in rounds one and two today.
Retiring tour veteran Daniel Wills (AUS) opened his final event with a strong heat win over Australian wildcard Laurie Towner in round one. The 33-year-old picked off two perfect backdoor Pipe waves to score a 7.17 and an 8.33, easily defeating Towner and earning a spot in the second round. After 12 years on tour and a highest ever rating of 3rd in 1998, the Byron Bay local will surf his final heat at Pipeline, retiring to focus on his young family.
It is likely the action will continue at Pipeline tomorrow with big guns Andy Irons (HAW), Kelly Slater (USA), Taj Burrow (AUS) and Joel Parkinson (AUS) all slated to start their 2008 Pipeline campaigns.
For more information.
Simon Barratt (On site Pipeline Masters)
