The insuperable 2017 Pipe Masters thread!

thermalben's picture
thermalben started the topic in Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 at 7:20am

Nice conditions this morning with light variable winds and solid waves. WSL calling 6-8ft surf, expected to ease throughout the day. 

North Shore surf forecast is here: https://www.swellnet.com/reports/hawaii/oahu/north-shore/forecast

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 at 7:25am

Jeez, Backdoor is looking pretty good. Makia McNamara just scored a filthy wave.

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Sunday, 10 Dec 2017 at 4:49pm

Looks like they may go on hold first thing or run............locals don't actually like to surf pipe on a rising swell especially with a lower tide.

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stunet Monday, 11 Dec 2017 at 7:03am

Layday call and it's the right one. There's no-one out, the swell is junky, and aleady there are outside reefs flaring around the place. Hard to tell where the Pipoe lineup actually is.

https://explore.org/livecams/hawaii/hawaii-pipeline-cam

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Lanky Dean Monday, 11 Dec 2017 at 11:37am

Gums invitational.............that cam looks straight at off the wall. It's either on the BB house or on the house across from the entry to OTW.
Plenty of sand still hanging around . Would be nice to see it from the volcom house steps. Used to sit there and watch it when it was really big. The big swell the night before the 2013 contest was pretty radical to watch form . it started the day before at 1:30 in the afternoon. By ten at night it was was washing up the bike path OTW and washing out towards KAM highway. The swell peaked about 1 am and settled for the morning. I remember waking up and walking down between the volcom houses. It was big and really consistent. The swell had washed the beach way back, I was surprised to see the contest scaffolding still in place.
What a day that was for surfing. Still trying to understand why they are not ending the title at pipe after next year WTF.....

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alsurf Monday, 11 Dec 2017 at 8:05pm

What’s the consensus among others regarding a start to round 1 in the morning and whether I should set the alarm

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 11 Dec 2017 at 8:39pm

It will be on.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 9:26am

Only just managed to tune in, looks pretty ordinary with that light to moderate onshore. Lots of crumbly sections. I assume it was much better earlier?

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 9:58am

Kelly Slater is surfing at 65% with his injury, or so he said in the post-heat interview. The commentators have latched onto that number to discuss his chances in the comp and Pottz has been repeating it but often without saying "percent".

So it's "Slater at 65 is still better than most surfers at Pipeline."

Which doesn't sound that far-fetched considering the way the old fella is going.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 10:03am

Yeh, it was better earlier. As long as it's barreling, Slater can win.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 11:02am

Off for the day.

filthyphil's picture
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filthyphil Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 12:02pm

Ahhh Pottz, the whole thing is laughable

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shoredump Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017 at 1:46pm

I’ve got 10 cases on Medina from a bet at the beginning of the year. I’m looking forward to an alcohol free summer by the looks of things haha

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 7:24am

And we're back on. Looks like average D'Bah. 

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 7:32am

Yup, pretty underwhelming. Anything interesting on the cards?

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 7:40am

Nothing I can see (though I haven't been paying close attention to the North Pac synoptics). Main issue we have right now is that we won't see a return to the trades throughout the rest of the window, and this seems to be the primary factor in determining surf quality (irrespective of how much swell is on offer).

So, they'll be cherry picking opportunities over the coming days. A new swell is expected tomorrow afternoon and through Monday (local time) but it's gonna be patchy. 

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 7:57am

Shame would've been good to see the showdown in quality waves. Highlight so far was seeing Strider having to scramble, hopefully not back to onshore tomorrow when the swell hits. Attenborough doco about bioluminescence on the box and with Turpel settling in that's my cue.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 8:19am

... and they’re back on Standby.

staitey's picture
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staitey Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 11:06am

Sad thing is it’s likely to come down to a lot of luck. How long since we’ve had solid waves for pipe?

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lostdoggy Sunday, 17 Dec 2017 at 12:09pm

"Sad thing is it’s likely to come down to a lot of luck. How long since we’ve had solid waves for pipe?"

Mick's last world title?

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 9:32am

Pottz has got a new marker pen.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 9:48am

And someone's finally told him that taking a new approach isn't a 360 degree direction change.

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 10:05am

...still calls everyone under the age of 55 a 'kid'.

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zenagain Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 11:03am

I reckon Ethan got JJ but that wouldn't bode well for the 'Showdown at Pipe'.

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stunet Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 11:13am

I agree he got him. Tense moments.

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dastasha Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 11:51am

Hows the backflip though wtf was that

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lostdoggy Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 12:48pm

JJF was rightful winner IMO

crg's picture
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crg Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 1:26pm

Just watched the heat replay of Kerrsy v medina. They edited it to show 3 incomplete waves from medina so which one got a 3 something to put him in front??
JJ v EE was 50/50 either way.
You can't script this...apparently

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geek Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 2:49pm

Medina got the 3.43 for 2 backside snaps, considering the waves it was fair. His backflip was cool but glad the judges didn't reward it.

Can't wait for them to move the pipe masters to Feb, its been years since proper pipe in the contest

evosurfer's picture
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evosurfer Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 4:13pm

Im seriously in doubt of some of the scoring it seems at times it would be
more interesting to keep some people moving on.
Medina in particular with the 6.7 for a reasonable tube and a very week air when
Oleary gets a 6.5 for a very simalar barrel and a massive air. I cal Medina overscored.
I also have my doubts about JJs win.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Monday, 18 Dec 2017 at 5:12pm

I don't think you can directly compare the scoring between different heats. Ideally, yes, but that never seems to work.

More than all the scoring issues, I think today's main question is: Is Jordy just not intelligent enough to be world champ? He seems to not really want it, or to not be able to think straight.
He's massively talented, but I can't remember the last time I got excited seeing him surfing.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 7:46am

A paling, injured Slater versus crazy hungry Medina in a crucial heat at four foot Pipe?

Hard to give the goat even an echo of a chance.

 

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 7:48am

Looks like its luck of the draw for finals day.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:07am

Old man fall.

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:14am

Intriguing match up, give him the benefit of the doubt - fecked foot fall. Medina all over it at the mo though.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:15am

That claim in front of Kelly added a cpl points IMO.

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:16am

OMG how over scored are Medinas waves in these last two heats.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:19am

The wind is now swinging. This aint just gonna be a win, it's gonna be a confidence boosting win.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:20am

Based on what everyone else has been scoring for similar barrels this event, way overscored.
They've been keeping heaps of room in the scoring all event, but not this heat. And he didn't need the overscores to beat Kelly anyway.

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:22am

Ah Slater had a turtles heed to deal with.

evosurfer's picture
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evosurfer Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:27am

I will repeat myself when I will clearly state Medina is being overscored again.
WCT wants a showdown between jj and Medina. WOW just saw that its why
the surfing world hates Brazzos.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:28am

Medina still waits down the line out of position with the pure intent of blocking anything that looks like a decent score. And then throws out the arms asking for an interference as he fades back to the foam?
Hasn't become more likeable since that heat at Bells against Bede all those years ago.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:35am

That's it eh? The block aint enough, gotta turn back inside and complete the act.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:37am

It's great to have a villain!

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:41am

Slater has easily been the biggest prick to surf against for decades; very pleased to see Medina beat him at his own game.

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:42am

Don't think it would've made any difference even if slater got a 10 for that wave but dropping in purely to block with no attempt at a score doesn't seem right.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 8:45am

Can't remember properly, but when Slats dropped in on Parko at Snapper, was he waiting down the line to block or sitting in that position generally or paddling back out?

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Island Bay Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 9:01am

I was just thinking that Parko might be chuckling quietly.

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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 9:27am

@LD,

Parko paddled up the line from KS, which was a questionable move as he didn't have priority - only ever gonna end one way.

I've got no problem with a priority block but Gabs has a chronic issue with not just dropping in but turning back towards the rider already up. He's done it with Bede at Bells, Glenn Hall at Snapper, and he did the same today.

The priority rule was amended last year and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets sharpened up again. The person without priority is still allowed to surf and be scored, while the person with priority shouldn't totally sacrifice a wave to interfere with non-priority scoring.

Think if someone takes off and goes left at J'Bay to quickly shut down a non-priority rider.

upnorth's picture
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upnorth Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 9:30am

Hope not but think JJF might come unstuck here.

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stunet Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017 at 9:31am

Julian looking confident.