With an optimum northwest swell expected to peak this morning, contest officials at the XBOX Pipeline Masters are hoping that today is the hotly-anticipated day that will name either Hanalei’s Andy Irons or Florida’s Kelly Slater as the men’s World Championship Tour winner.
According to the surfline.com Hawai’i forecast, waves on O’ahu are expected to reach 15-foot faces today, with a reinforcement from a northerly swell expected in the afternoon. Winds are expected to start in a northerly direction this morning, shifting to northeast trades by the afternoon.
When competition resumes, it will be with the third round, quarterfinals, semis and final, all expected to be completed in one day.
Irons will be surfing against two Brazilians, Guilherme Herdy, and Peterson Rosa, and Hawai’i native, Marcus Hickman, in his third-round heat. In the following heat, Slater will face Hawaiian Kalani Chapman, and Australians Phillip MacDonald and Trent Munro. Two surfers will advance from each heat.
“I think the pressure’s on,” said Slater. “It’s on both of us all the way to the end now.”
Irons’ brother Bruce, who qualified for the 2004 WCT for the first time this November and the 2001 champion at this event, will surf in heat 8 in the third round. If he advances, he could face his brother’s rival, Slater, in the semifinals and his brother in the finals.
There could also be two Kauaians as Vans Triple Crown of Surfing winners. Hanalei native Keala Kennelly won the women’s Triple Crown, but fell just short of winning the world crown, at the Billabong Pro Maui last weekend.
Current series leader Jake Paterson (Australia), the winner of last week’s Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach, was perhaps the greatest surprise of the second round, losing in a heat loaded with talented Pipeline surfers.
Paterson struggled to successfully make his way out the barreling waves, finishing in fourth behind Bruce Irons, Peterson Rosa, and Shane Dorian. His premature loss has opened the door to Andy to defend his ownership of the Triple Crown title.
Andy would need to make the final of the XBOX to take the Vans Triple Crown title away from Paterson.
The XBOX Pipeline Masters is the final event of the 2003 ASP World Championship Tour and the third and final event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. The results from the XBOX Pipeline Masters will decide the 2003 mens ASP world title and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing titles.
Conditions permitting, live scores and results will be available online today at http://www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.
