Wassup gang I am getting this all set up the day before the big even goes down. This is a multi-day event and while I wont be there for all of it I will definitely be there for as much of it as I can (definitely 1st & last day for sure). Lets take a look at the heats in RD1 and see what we got to look forward too, personally I can tell you by looking at its gonna be an exciting event right from the start..
The Billabong Pipeline Masters will be webcast LIVE via
www.billabongpro.com and
www.triplecrownofsurfing.comBILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Jihad Khodr (BRA) vs. Gavin Gillette (HAW)
Gavin is good but Jihad is friggin awesome man and is a proven winner. I gotta give the edge for experience to Khoder & the home field advantage to Gavin.
Heat 2: Gabe Kling (USA) vs. Kalani Chapman (HAW)
Call me bias but I am pulling for Chapman in this one although this matchup is pretty even. Chapman gotta get the edge for the home field advantage.
Heat 3: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Marcus Hickman (HAW)
WHOA MAN! This a huge matchup, Irons is hard to beat at pipeline but Marcus is a ripper and hungry for his 1st big contest win. He came so close many times and is definitely due. This is one of the matchups I cant wait to see right here.
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Look for Payne to shine and take this matchup imo. Dusty is rated top 5 in the world at the tender age of 20. This kid is a rising star and will bring it and he surfs pipeline all the time too.
Heat 5: Nathaniel Curran (USA) vs. Liam McNamara (HAW)
This matchup is so tight not even a fart could squeak through imo. Both of these guys are great surfers and are really evenly matched. Its gonna come down to position and wave selection in this one.
Heat 6: David Weare (ZAF) vs. Hank Gaskell (HAW)
This is another tight matchup but I gotta give the edge to Weare. I seen him out there recently at jockos and I was really impressed, he has incredible sense of balance and gets huge airtime off the lip and you know that will impress the judges.
Heat 7: Bruce Irons (HAW) vs. Reed McIntosh (HAW)
ANOTHER HUGE MATCHUP! Geez what can you about Bruce he is the man @ pipeline but I gotta say Reef lives on the 50 yrd line of the northshore beaches and thats right in front of pipeline and he knows that break really well too. I would give a slight edge to Irons but dont blink cuz you may miss something in this one.
Heat 8: Nic Muscroft (AUS) vs. Sunny Garcia (HAW)
Muscroft is good but Garcia is on a mission, prison really lit a fire under his ass because he has trained the hardest lately than I have ever seen, he is in great shape and is always on the top 6 for every contest this year.
Heat 9: Michael Picon (FRA) vs. Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Both are great surfers and very similar in style, this one is gonna come down to position & wave selection imo.
Heat 10: Shane Dorian (HAW) vs. Kamalei Alexander (HAW)
I like Dorian in this one, I will be rooting for shano he knows pipeline like the back of his hand. Alexander is very good but if I am betting money, I would definitely put some scripts down on shano in this one.
Heat 11: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Jonah Morgan (HAW)
Sorry but Neve gets the knod from me in this one. Morgan could take him if he is on top of his game, but Neve has been awesome and looks to have been training hard or something he is definitely improved from what I have seen in the past.
Heat 12: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Flynn Novak (HAW)
Novak is in like flynn, this guy is phenominal and just when you think you seen everything he got he will pull off some sick move and just leave you in awe. The master technician and surfs so clean too.
Heat 13: Dustin Barca (HAW) vs. Sion Miloski (HAW)
Yikes this is a pretty tight matchup, but I will give the slight advantage to Barca. I am very impressed from what I seen from him @ sunset recently and he can also grill up a mean parrot fish too lol.
Heat 14: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Danny Fuller (HAW)
This is like that rocky movie where he trains tommy gun (young lion meets old lion). Experience goes to Fuller but dont count Florence out. John john is only 16-17 yrs old and is awesome w/ incredible balance. A few yrs ago he was a lil timid out there but his nuts must've dropped or something cuz now he surfs like a man and has been knocking off competition like crazy.
Heat 15: Jay Thompson (AUS) vs. Mason Ho (HAW)
This is the matchup of lineage, both of these guys come from great surfing families and are evenly matched. Gotta give the homefield advantage to Mason though, but Jay reminds me of shaun thompson back in the day (this dude can surf gang).
Heat 16: Phillip MacDonald (AUS) vs. Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Ok I am totally biased here but I am all in for O'brien here, and this has nothing to do w/ him being a local boy either. Jamie imo, is simply awesome and just charges and rips. This guy is alot like kelly slater because he has that incredible nose for a good wave, no fear like mark heally, and makes it look easy like gerry lopez AND he is not old either.
There you have it gang I am excited to see this all play out and you can get the live updates of the thrills & spills right here coming live right off the sands of pipeline beach. I got my binoculors ready my puter batteries are all charged up gonna park @ reefs house and get some interviews from there too!!
