There’s no heat draws posted on massive billboards for the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout. Just show up and pick a number out of a hat or a mason jar…whatever Eddie Rothman’s passing around to the competitors when they show up in the morning. Heck, there aren’t even jerseys in the Backdoor shootout and surfers compete in a team format rather than as solo competitors. And of course, because it’s Pipe, waves aren’t even scored on a 1-10 scale. Nope, the judging scale extends as high as a 12.
The Backdoor Shootout is one of the most interesting contests in all of surfing, to say the least. The fact that it’s a grassroots affair certainly adds its own charm. But the fact that it’s a grassroots affair designed to pay homage to the world’s most famous wave is just downright special.
We’ve raved quite a bit about the job Koa Rothman has done building his This Is Livin’ vlog series on Youtube, and so it’s appropriate that he’s the guy giving us a look at the behind the scenes moments of an event like this. It clearly means a lot to Rothman and the other Hawaiian competitors and for good reason. And it certainly didn’t hurt that it all went down in maxing, perfect conditions at Pipe this year.
