LIHU‘E — Pipeline’s notorious Backdoor has revealed glimpses of its tubular best with some high-scoring barrel rides going down on Day 2 of the opening 2011 IBA World Tour event in Hawai‘i, states a press release from the International Bodyboarding
LIHU‘E — Pipeline’s notorious Backdoor has revealed glimpses of its tubular best with some high-scoring barrel rides going down on Day 2 of the opening 2011 IBA World Tour event in Hawai‘i, states a press release from the International Bodyboarding Association.
The day’s best wave belonged to visiting Aussie rider Tom Rigby who was awarded a near perfect 9.9 out of 10 for a long disappearing act in Round 4.
The score saw Rigby advance easily into Round 5 along with French rider Julien Miremont and caused the elimination of local Hawai‘i riders Will Petrovic and Trevor Kam.
Kaua‘i’s Tim Hamilton was another big scorer, locking in a 9.0 ride to cause the shock elimination of two Pipeline Pro standouts in Australia’s Andrew Lester and Hawai‘i’s Chris Won.
Lester, who won the event at age 20 in 2000, and Won, a regular in the local line-up, were bundled out unceremoniously in equal 65th and equal 73rd, respectively.
Hamilton, however, was then eliminated in his 5th Round heat.
Comeback king, Brian Wise, continued on his rampage, the Hawai‘i rider registering an 8.5 ride for a nice Backdoor drain-pipe which saw him advance into Round 5 behind local Keahi Parker.
Wise has not competed in three years and during that time suffered back, neck and femur injuries in a serious car accident. A new outlook, a fiancé and determination to succeed have reversed his fortunes and his success through four rounds has cemented him as a sentimental favorite heading into the last day.
“It’s about perseverance and staying alive and getting through this contest, I got stuck in a couple, I made one … I got a nice long ride, it opened up and it just barrelled the whole way,” Wise said. “I’ve had a couple close ones, but I’m hanging in there, and keeping the dream alive and just doing what needs to be done. Every heat is a step closer.”
Australian Mitch Rawlins revered as the most exciting young performers on the world stage, made his first appearance in the IBA Pipeline Pro in Round 5 and wasted no time in going for the big moves.
The 27-year-old blasted into a looping reverse and stuck some critical rolls over the shallow reef to secure his place in Round 6 behind early standout Sacha Specker of South Africa.
“It was my first heat in a while and the first heat of the year so it was pretty nerve wracking, but it was good to shake off the cobwebs. Being in a heat intensifies everything, I haven’t been in a contest in a few months now, you’d think it’s only 20 minutes so you say to yourself ‘I’ll just cruise through it’, but it’s a real workout. To get through a heat at any time is satisfying. Now I’m on into the next round, so looking forward to that,” Rawlins said.
Pipe specialist and former runner-up, Hawai‘i’s Spencer Skipper was another to hit the water Friday. Skipper advanced to the last day behind Julien Miremont of France. It was this heat that saw the end to Hamilton’s event.
The Women’s Division was completed in deteriorating conditions, but it did not dampen the determination of a tough field. A Brazilian duo, six-time champion Steph Pettersen — representing Australia — entered the final as firm favorite alongside former champ Neymara Carvalho.
The deciding moment occurred midway through the final when Pettersen eyed up a Backdoor right hander, decided not to go and Carvalho pounced. The score was one of the highest in the clash.
Friends chaired Carvalho from the water’s edge before she was presented with her second, first-place IBA Pipeline trophy.
All the action from the final day of the IBA Pipeline Pro will be available for viewing via the LIVE webcast at www.ibaworldtour.com.
Hawaiian fans can see the action via Oceanic Cable channel 16 (OC 16).
Upcoming Round 6 Heats
Ht41: Damien King (AUS), Jarrett Lau (Haw), Bud Miyamoto (Haw), Nathan Branch (AUS)
Ht42: Dallas Singer (AUS), Jones Russell (AUS), Maxime Castillo (FRA), David Phillips (Haw)
Ht43: Michael Novy (AUS), Jason Finlay (AUS), Spencer Skipper (Haw), Tom Rigby (AUS)
Ht44: Guillermo Cobo (ESP), Brad Hughes (AUS), Julien Miremont (FRA), Mark Watts (ZAF)
Ht45: Manuel Centeno (PRT), Alistair Taylor (ZAF), Sacha Specker (ZAF), Wesley Fischer (ZAF)
Ht46: Magno Oliveira (BRA), Luis Villar (BRA), Mitch Rawlins (AUS), Brian Wise (Haw)
Ht47: Mike Stewart (Haw), Kainoa McGee (Haw), Joe Clarke (AUS), Michael Ostler (ZAF)
Ht48: Gastao Entrudo (PRT), Hugo Pinheiro (PRT), Sam Bennett (AUS), Brahim Iddouch (MOR)
Round 5 Results
Ht33: 1st Bud Miyamoto (Haw), 2nd David Phillips (Haw), 3rd Cade Sharp (AUS), 4th Chad Jackson (AUS),
Ht34: 1st Maxime Castillo (FRA), 2nd Nathan Branch (AUS), 3rd Aden Kleve (ZAF), 4th Jacob Pembrook (Haw)
Ht35: 1st Tom Rigby (AUS), 2nd Mark Watts (ZAF), 3rd Rui Perreira (PRT), 4th Hermano Castro (BRA)
Ht36: 1st Julien Miremont (FRA), 2nd Spencer Skipper (Haw), 3rd Stephan Stamm (BRA), 4th Tim Hamilton (Haw)
Ht37: 1st Sacha Specker (ZAF), 2nd Mitch Rawlins (AUS), 3rd Keahi Parker (Haw), 4th JB Hillen (Haw)
Ht38: 1st Brian Wise (Haw), 2nd Wesley Fischer (ZAF), 3rd Ardiel Jimenez (CNY), 4th Thiago Limeira (BRA)
Ht39: 1st Michael Ostler (ZAF), 2nd Brahim Iddouch (MOR), 3rd Charles Pass (ZAF), 4th Nicholas Bastos (BRA)
Ht40: 1st Sam Bennett (AUS), 2nd Joe Clarke (AUS), 3rd Yoshitada Konda (JAP), 4th Jacob Romero (Haw),
Results — Women’s Final
1st Neymara Carvalho (BRA) 2000pts, $3000
2nd Eunate Aguirre (ESP) 1720pts, $1900
3rd Stephanie Pettersen (AUS) 1460pts, $1400
4th Minami Hatekayama (JAP) 1349pts, US$1100
