Pipeline - The greatest show in the surfing World

Before there was Tahiti and Shipsterns Bluff, before Jaws and Dungeons, there was a wave that struck fear into every surfer's heart, a wave that pushed professional surfing to new heights - that wave is Pipeline!

The Pipe Masters is the last event on the WCT every year. For many of the surfers, it is there last chance to re-qualify for the next year. Standing in there way are the highest amount of local wild cards for any event, all just frothing to take out surfers from the Tour. Kelly Slater has already won the world title, so the show moves onto who will the Triple Crown, with Joel Parkinson in the lead after a win at Haliewa and a solid backup result at Sunset.

As for the South Africans, I am especially keen to see how Jordy and Travis are going to do. Travis has never really shone at this event, but he needs a solid result to guarantee his re qualification for the WCT in 2011. Jordy has yet to post a result at Pipeline and as the current World number 2 and future world champion, it must seem, he has to show the world that he can charge Pipe and Backdoor. Another to really keep an eye on, will be Bruce Irons, who has one of the wild cards. Bruce has won the event before and with his brother, Andy Iron's death just a short while ago, you can bet that he will be going all out to win the event for his brother!



Kelly Slater is a multiple past champion and even though he has his 10th World Title, it seems unlikely that he will not want to cap off an incredible year with another Pipe Masters title. Last year, Taj Burrow took the win from under Kelly's nose and I am pretty confident he will want that crown back!



You can follow all the action at - Billabong Pipeline Masters