Surfer/Writer
Community

The Inertia

Well, it’s official. John John Florence is the Pipeline kahuna. His third Volcom Pipeline Pro victory in a row solidified, this 20-year-old prodigy has spent more time inside the pipe than plumbers and more time sneaking out the backdoor than a teenager cheating their curfew. With a two-wave total score of 16.33 out of 20 in the final, Florence took the $20,000 cash prize, a bad ass warrior helmet, and eternal bravado. Chris Ward (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS), and Olamana Eleogram (HAW), finished behind Florence, respectively.

Although the waves weren’t as good as day two, the north swell opened up Backdoor for the final day, providing both lefts and rights with moderate trade winds. There were solid 4-6 foot waves on tap, but it was no comparison to day two, which was the standout day of the Volcom Pipe Pro. It was on the brink of being the biggest Pipe could hold with some sets capping at second reef and rolling into first, with few third reef cloud-breaking sets.

The predawn buzz was that the ominous triple overhead closeout sets and hectic conditions would put competitors at risk and also result in low scoring and unmakeable waves. To the contrary, conditions improved throughout the day and gave way to double-to-triple-overhead gaping barrels which cannoned surfers out while misting their backs like a pressurized washing machine. During the round of 64, Pipe truly turned classic and John John immediately set the precedent for what it would take to win the Volcom Pipe Pro. Within the first five minutes of his heat, Florence attained the highest heat score of the entire event. Before he barreled his way to a 9.73 and a 9.97, even Florence’s throw-away scores, a 9.3 and 9.53, were enough to qualify as the highest heat total of the contest.

Fortunately, all competitors in the round of 64 and on get compensated accordingly. However, with the unforgiving waves, surfers breaking boards were more likely to break even. The second day saw uncharacteristically strong currents ripping down to Ehukai Beach Park. For competitors who got caught on the inside or needed a board transfer, which happened frequently, the best and only logistical option was riding some slop to shore and sprinting up the soft sand toward Off-The-Wall. This is no easy feat after taking some healthy beatings from one of the most dangerous breaks in the world. This often-repeated cycle solidifies professional surfer’s status’ as world-class athletes.

 
Newsletter

Only the best. We promise.

Contribute

Join our community of contributors.

Apply