Viva la France! Flores surges to win Pipeline Masters
Thursday, December 16, 2010
You couldn't have asked for better weather on the final day of the Pipeline Masters, the Superbowl of Surfing held in December on Oahu's North Shore at the world-famous surf break, and the last event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. It was sunny, 70s, virtually no wind, glassy and clean conditions.
Just... inconsistent sets. Yesterday's swell that brought surfing fireworks at the break (including the event's only "10," scored by Kelly Slater, the 10-time ASP World Champ) had diminished significantly. But head-high and higher sets could be found for competitors who had the patience to wait for the right ride. They fit the quarterfinals, semis and finals in by noon to catch the last morsels of the swell. Notables:
Back-to-back barrels started the first heat between Owen Wright (USA) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) (see video).
Owen Wright and Kelly Slater broke boards in the quarters, but Slater was able to surf into the semis.
During the finals, Flores was behind for most of the 40-minute round, but with two minutes left, needing an 8.6 to take the lead over Kieren Perrow (AUS), he nabbed a huge barrel for a 9.37.
Flores is the first European, let alone Frenchman, to win the Pipeline Masters. It has been won by the U.S. or Australia every year since 1975, when South Africa's Shaun Tomson won.
Oddly, I saw only one ride on Pipeline, by Perrow. Backdoor, the break's right ride, was firing... fitfully.
The only surfer in range of Vans Triple Crown leader Joel "Parko" Parkinson (AUS) was Adrian "Ace" Buchan (AUS), who was eliminated in the quarters. Parko has now three-peated as the Triple Crown champion.
