Greatest Wipeouts of 2012 - Surf

Mark Mathews on his way to a royal hiding in Oz. (Photo: O'neill)

Every year Surfline puts together a compilation of the worst wipeouts in surfing. This year was no different and there are some real cringers in there! Nice to see Grant Twig baker representing for the Saffa contingent...

Pipeline Challenge Final Day - Sacha Spex retains Dk Title

Spex throwing down for Team Saffa and retaining his Pipe DK Title.

The Dropknee division featured a hotly contested final, taken out by South African Sacha Specker, defeating Hawaiian wave wizard and multiple DK World Champion, Dave Hubbard in second, Australia's multi talent Dave Winchester in third and Peruvian powerhouse and 2010 DK World Champion, Cesar Bauer in fourth to claim his second IBA Pipeline Pro DK victory.

Specker had a solid lead early in the final, but Hubbard and Winchester managed to find some excellent barrel rides to keep them in contention. Although Bauer never really found his rhythm during the final, he put on a show-stopping performance, pulling into big barrel over the shallow backdoor reef, keeping the beach spectators cheering on the edge of their seats. Hubbard made a last ditch effort in the last five minutes of the final, but it was speaker who managed to hold onto poll position.

Ben Player (AUS) has taken out the 2013 IBA GoPro Pipe Challenge in pumping 8-10 foot waves at the Banzai Pipeline today, defeating defending champion, Jeff Hubbard (HAW) in second, Pierre-Louis (FRA) in third and multi talented Dave Hubbard (HAW) in fourth in the dying minutes of the final. Player posted an excellent score of 8.75 early in the final for a deep set wave barrel on a left and finished it off with a looping roll. Hubbard answered back with a 7.75 and a 7.2 for two deep back to back barrels on draining left handers. The Frenchman and Dave Hubbard both managed to post a good score each 7.38 and 6.25 respectively, but were unable to lock in substantial second scoring rides. With only two minutes remaining, Player was searching for a 6.21 or better to take out the final. Scooping into a heaving Pipe set wave, the Australian negotiated his way through a long barrel and topped the wave off by launching an invert off the closeout to earn himself 7.38 out of a possible 10 points, rocketing him into first place as the buzzer sounded the end of the 2013 IBA GoPro Pipeline Pro. Victorious, Player was carried up the beach to the podium by good friends and past Pipe Champions, Ryan Hardy and Andrew Lester, accompanied by a cheering crowd of Australian supporters. Player has been competing in this pipe event for the past 19 years, claimed two world titles, and has several grand slam victories under his belt, but until today has never been able to claim a victory at the infamous Banzai Pipeline. 

IBA GoPro Pipeline Challenge 2013 Teaser

After the huge disappointment of hearing that the current economic downturn had caused the Pipeline Challenge to be cancelled due to no sponsorship, it was a great relief to find out that thanks to the social media campaign by the Bodyboarders, GoPro have signed on to save the event. So lock and load your internet and get ready for the most iconic event on the IBA Calendar, its gonna be huge! (Well done GoPro!) Frothing to see Jared and Spex cane the competition.

John John Florence defends his Volcom Pipe Pro Title

Dale Staples representing for the North Shore Saffas and making 9th!

Pipeline was not at its utmost best, but there were waves and the focus shifted from the lefts to the Backdoor Rights. The lone Saffa, Dale Staples charged hard and ended up making the Semi Finals and a well deserved 9th place. Josh Kerr and Chris Ward were on a hard charge and pushing the limits with super late drops and "backdoor" tubes. But after all was said and done, it was defending champion and North Shore royalty, John John Florence who managed to defend his Pipe Pro title and take the glorious Spartan War Helm Trophy home, which happens to be right there...

The Pipeline Horror Show

While the swell poured into the North Shore, the contest directors at the Volcom Pipe Pro decided not to run the contest, as conditions were to wild and wooly. This did not stop the waiting Pipeline chargers from attacking it all day long. Amongst the horror and carnage there were some bombs, some spit as thick as a Sea Monster's spout and of course some hero making drops!

Volcom Pipeline Pro 2013 - Starts Sunday

The contest season on the ASP World Tour starts with a bang at Pipeline for the 2013 Volcom Pipe Pro. The 5 Star event always brings drama and great action to the start of the year and you can bet that 2012 winner John John Florence will be looking to defend his title! The usual suspects of North Shore chargers and World Tour stars will battle it out for honors, though I am most excited to see how the Saffa boys go. (Well, that's hoping some of them get in...)

Captain Kai's World Podcast - The great surf debate!

Who will be the World Champion, Kelly or Parko? One subject covered in the great surf debate.

I have been wanting to do this show for ages! In studio to chat about the ASP World Tour judging, system and future were ASP Judge, Ettiene Buys, Surf Journalist, Andy Davis and our regular man of the industry, Wok. We covered past controversial heat results, the future of the sport, South African surfing's future and of course the Pipeline Masters and the world title race between Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson. Mix this with some great music and you have 2 hours of great radio

Listen or Download the Podcast HERE

Pipeline Masters in memory of Andy Irons 2012 Preview

Ian Walsh, a dangerous Wildcard, charges a big set in 2011. (Photo: ASP)

It is pretty fitting that the final event of the ASP World Tour is Pipeline. So many great stories and rivalries over the years have gone down and many a World Title has hinged on this event. This year is no different, with Joel Parkinson, in the hunt for his first World Title, in a dog fight with Kelly Slater, looking for number 12, and Mick Fanning on the outside needing a miracle to take it, but hey, it has happened at Pipe before! Add to this the pack of wildcards, all Pipe specialists frothing to take down the big names from the World Tour and you have a recipe for an epic surf event. Oh and of course, the most dangerous wave in the world...

John John Florence is going to be deadly. Jamie O'Brian still wants to put this trophy on his mantel and young Sebastien Ziets leading the Triple Crown is going to be holding nothing back. Then you have guys like Kieron Perrow on the border of re-qualification and needing a massive result, well he has won last year and made back to back finals.

This could be the contest of decade with great swell forecast already for the first few days. So sit down, strap in, make sure your internet is working and enjoy...

30th Edition of the Pipeline Challenge is go for 2013

There have been some crazy moments over the years at the Pipeline Challenge. Some of the biggest days ever surfed out there, South Africans charging and winning and of course some gruesome wipeouts. Next year sees the 30th edition of this iconic Bodyboard event and of course SA kingpin, Sacha Specker defending his DK title.

Who is JOB 2.0 - Season 1 Final Episode

Jamie charging the Newport Wedge. (Photo: Red Bull USA)

For just under a year now, we have been able to follow the life and travels of tube riding hell man, Jamie 'O Brien, thanks to the Red Bull web series bearing his name. From his home break of Pipeline on the North Shore to California, Bali and other exotic locations the guy charges in the water and enjoys life to the full on land. The show has been a great insight into his life and i really hope they continue with Season 2. In this final episode we check out Jamie charging the Wedge and reminiscing on the first season of his show. The Pipe/Backdoor highlights at the end of the episode are mental!

Who is JOB 2.0 - Episode 9 & 10

The fun filled life of Jamie O'Brien continues with a trip to California for Coachella, followed by good waves at home in Hawaii for Episode 10. The web tv trend is growing fast, but this must be one of the best shows out there.

 

Who is JOB 2.0 Episode 8 - Soft Top Surfboard at Pipeline

JOB messing around at "fun" 8ft Pipeline & Backdoor.

JOB buys a soft top board from the local supermarket and takes it surfing at Pipeline and Backdoor, just to make sure we all know how bad we surf! Then he tries out his hand at the SUP World Cup at cooking 10ft Sunset Beach, where he is brought down to earth again...

Pro surfer and wild man Jamie O'Brien buys a soft top surfboard and tries his luck at Pipeline before entering last minute into a standup paddle board competition that proves harder than expected. Want more JOB?

Subscribe to this show! http://www.youtube.com/show/whoisjob20?s=1

Who is JOB 2.0 - Episodes 6 & 7

Jamie O'Brien lives the life we all dream of on the North Shore. He has plenty of haters, but one thing no one can deny is that he is the boss when it comes to Pipeline and Backdoor. Watch as he casually does 2 surfboard step offs, rides switch foot and generally toys with waves the rest of us might not even surf. Then check as him and his mates take you camping North Shore style on the Big Island and get up to all sorts of mayhem and trouble. Enjoy episodes 6 and 7 of, Who is JOB 2.0...

Wave of the Winter - The best of the 2012 North Shore Season

Ian Walsh making a play at big Pipeline during the Masters. (Photo: ASP)

For the 2011-2012 Winter Season, Surfline and Nike put up $25'000 for the "Wave of the Winter". This was a pretty big carrot for the crew on Oahu and saw many go for broke moments over the course of the winter. Check out the winning wave, that went down at Off the Wall, as apposed to Pipe or Backdoor - its a mental tube! A great 20 minute surf movie.

The King of the North Shore - John John Florence

John John very calm and relaxed on a Pipeline Bomb.

By now you all know who John John Florence is, but it may not have sunk in yet how much he rules the North Shore line up at the tender age of 20. As if winning competitions from Sunset to Pipeline and Backdoor were not enough, he just won the Performance of the Winter award in Hawaii. Just watch the video and its not hard to see why! I cannot wait for this kid to surf the WCT events at Teahupoo and Cloudbreak, it's going to be mental. Have a listen to Shea Lopez's predictions of John John's 2012 WCT future in the second video.



 

Who is JOB 2.0 - Episode 5, Pipeline Madness

Episode 5 of JOB 2.0, brought to you by Red Bull, and the show keeps up the madness that is Jamie O'Brian's life. From doing transfers on a longboard to short board at massive pipeline, getting owned by his cat, narrowly losing out to John John Florence at the Volcom and caning the Pipeline tube of the day switch foot, JOB is charging on his new web show.

Jamie O'Brien tries a new technique by paddling out on his longboard and then dropping in his short board to ride the wave. Later, despite despite the warnings of his feline friend he goes all the way to the finals of the Volcom Pipe Pro for an epic showdown down to the last second with John John.

Subscribe to this show! http://www.youtube.com/show/whoisjob20?s=1

Jacko on the North Shore

 

Brandon Jackson decided to give the North Shore of Hawaii a good go this year and spent an extended amount of time there proving himself at Backdoor, Pipeline and the Food Land check outs. You will notice Josh Redman, Frank Solomon and Twig making cameos in the video as they also dedicated a lot of time to chasing the Shore this winter. Pretty short video, but I liked the edit and some good surfing from Jacko.

The Friday Mix - Who is JOB 2.0, the Series

JOB where he loves to be, in gaping Pipeline Pits.

 This week on my Friday Mix, I give you the latest from Red Bull Media and that maniacal surfer, Jamie O' Brian. His surf movie, Who is JOB, was pretty much the best surf film in the last few years and on the back of that success, he has decided to make, Who is JOB 2.0. The new project is a web series made by Red Bull and a new episode is released every second week. I have been meaning to post them, but did not, hence the first few episodes are right here for you in the Friday Mix. I will post the new episodes as they become available, just for you guys! I really enjoy the show, I hope you do to...

 

 

 

 

Mutant Pipeline on Day 3 of the Volcom Pipe Pro 2012

Monster Pipe Tubes were the call for the day! Balram Stack from NY charging... (Photo: ASP)

 Day 3 of the Pipe Pro and it was one third carnage to two thirds mutant tubes! The Saffers woke up to monster Pipeline and the chirps were flying thick and fast on twitter and FB between the North Shore and South Africa. We had three guys in Round 3, Shaun Joubert, Brandon Jackson and Rudy Palmboom. None made it through the round, but watching their heats it was easy to see they tried their best. The waves were huge, scary and all over the show and none of the boys let team SA down. Personally, I would have been terrified just sitting on the beach, where a number of spectators got washed into the shore break! The final day will be posted as soon as the web video goes live.

Volcom Pipe Pro Day 2 - swell dropped, but still cooking!

Costa Rican, Carlos Munoz on his way to a 10 Point Ride. (Photo: ASP)

Another day and another tube fest from the North Shore. Costa Rican youngster, Carlos Munoz, came out of nowhere to get a 10 point ride and impress the Pipe community. Chris Ward was back from injury and charging both Backdoor and Pipeline. For the South Africans, Rudy Palmboom Jnr secured a well deserved 2nd place to proceed to Round 3, where he joins Brandon Jackson and Shaun Joubert. The 2 Saffers find them selves in the same Round 3 heat, so we can only hope they lock out the other 2 guys and proceed to round 4. For more on the contest go to the Volcom Pipe Pro or the ASP Website.



These guys need to add some tunes and editing to their video, but some great behind the scenes footage and interviews...