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The recent incredible success of Moana Jones didn't happen overnight. It's been a long and often lonesome road, dedicating herself to one of the most challenging and, let's be honest, male dominated lineups in the world - Pipeline. She’s paid her dues and learned the ropes and has done it all with grace. In the span of this winter season, her historic victories at the HIC Pipe Pro and the Billabong Pro Pipeline, along with her groundbreaking performances at Da Hui Backdoor Shootout and in the Vans Digital Triple Crown, has thrusted her into the limelight as the undisputed greatest female surfer at Pipeline. Photo: Brent Bielmann
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John John Florence / Ryan "Chachi" Craig It is amazing how integral the captured image is to surfing. Obviously this magazine for instance, wouldn’t be much if it wasn’t for all the beautiful images our photographers capture. And In the case of the Vans Digital Triple Crown of Surfing, the surfers rides being filmed is half the game. If a ride isn’t captured on video it can’t be scored. While the official submissions to the Vans Triple Crown were all shot from land, one photographer who was in the water for almost all of the Backdoor and Pipeline action this season is this month's cover photographer Ryan “Chachi” Craig. Chachi has been staying front and center to the infamous peak at the Volcom house, and has had a fish eyes view to this winter’s action, including this Backdoor Bomb of the 2021 Vans Digital Triple Crown Champion, John John Florence. “After one of the worst early seasons I can recall in recent memory, The North Shore has come alive with maybe the best run of Pipe swells imaginable,” said Chachi. “January’s consistency coincided perfectly with this year's Vans Triple Crown and many of the best surfers in the world were posted up at Pipeline, day in and day out, taking full advantage of this magic run. After getting ridiculously drained during Da Hui Backdoor Shootout, JJF’s Pipe reps were already high and he kept that momentum going by catching some of the season's best waves and winning this year's Vans Triple Crown in the process.” 12
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Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
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N O T E
Flipping the Script By Andrew Oliver
In a strange case of dejavu, the Vans Digital Triple Crown of Surfing, in many ways, followed the path it blazed last year in the inaugural running of the event. Once again, Hawai’i’s most dominant surfers Carissa Moore and John John Florence were victorious after the month long event in incredible North Shore surf. While the abundance of A+ surf and the overall champions followed a similar script from last year, in the short running of the Vans Digital Triple Crown, the event has already made an enormous splash and carved out its own unique niche in competitive surfing. In recent years, the top athletes and performances on the elite World Tour have been more exciting than ever, but at the same time they've become somewhat equally unrelatable to us mortals. To perform those feats, in such short windows of time, under immense competitive pressure, is unfathomable to your average surfer. And, there is no way to possibly recreate those settings out in the real world. Like traditional surf competition, The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing has no shortage of barrier breaking performances, but the freedom of the month-long, essentially freesurf format, sheds some of the rigidity of the rules and regulations we’re accustomed to seeing, and more closely mimics the lifestyle we all live, or strive to live, at the very least. In its essence, this event puts a veil of formality onto what the top performers are already doing - surfing as hard as possible in the very best waves they can find. And, with the Vans Triple Crown being limited to the three jewels of the crown, Hale’iwa, Sunset, and Pipeline, the competitors usually find themselves in the lineup at the same time. Day after day, these surfers are pushing the envelope, and have the freedom to fail, so to speak, as there’s no fear of not advancing to the next round. Putting on a surf event, of any kind, is no easy thing. Set aside the logistics, event infrastructure, and financial concerns, the greatest challenge of a surf contest is that it sets out to quantify something that is objectively unquantifable - who surfed the waves best. As experienced surfers, and surf fans, we are conversant in the lingua franca of what is and is not excellent surfing. Still, despite that common language, for as long as surf events exist there will always be arguments about who was overscored, or who should have really won, because a surf contest is essentially a story and theres always room to argue about its ending. The refreshing thing about the Vans Digital Triple Crown of Surfing is that it set out a new way to write that story.
Photo John Weaver
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John John Florence and Carissa Moore Go Back-ToBack To Win The 2021 Digital Vans Triple Crown of Surfing John John Florence and Carissa Moore claim the title of 2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Digital Champions. World-renowned for multiple WSL world championship titles and serving as an enduring inspiration for surfers and sports fans everywhere, Oahu natives Florence and Moore continue to honor the surf breaks that started it all with their back-to-back wins. The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is a marathon, not a sprint. In its digital version, there is a vast, added technical layer that makes it the most physically challenging surfing event in the world; 30 days, three unique surf spots, colossal surf, progressive craft requirement, and the strategic digital capture requirement that kept competitors hunting down clips late into the final hours of the month-long competition. This year’s event saw 95 total athletes compete in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, submitting a total of 320 waves. Of those athletes, locals comprised 40% of the field, with 79% of the total prize purse ($223,000) being won by Hawai’i surfers. All said and done, only 25 surfers met every single demanding criteria of the competition by midnight, January 21, 2022. The single highest prize money winner was a woman for the first time in 39 years. Carissa Moore won a total of $66,500 with a clean sweep across ALL categories: Hawai’ian Pro (Haleiwa), World Cup (Sunset Beach), Pipe Masters (Pipeline), Fan Favorite, and Overall Vans Triple Crown of Surfing women’s series champion. “I’ve never surfed Pipe and Sunset as much as I did this Winter. Those are two really challenging waves,” said Carissa Moore, who won her second Vans Triple Crown championship. “It was great motivation to get out there and keep pushing the limits of what we can do.” “You just don’t know any more with this format because anybody can be at any spot whenever,” said John John Florence, who claimed his fifth Vans Triple Crown championship title of his career with this win. “Especially when you have waves in the 8 to 10-foot range for a lot of the days, where all three spots are good. It’s tough competition.” In a historic first, 20-year-old Crosby Colapinto took the men’s title as Vans Pipe Master at the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing amongst a heavily contested field. The Californian’s win reflects the amount of time he’s put into this wave over the past few years and showcases the exciting stories that the digital competition format can expose.
2021 (and defending) Vans Digital Triple Crown of Surfing Champions Carissa Moore (top) and John John Florence (bottom). Top Photo: Brian Bielmann. Bottom Photo: Brent Bielmann
Hale’iwa resides in a very rarefied point in the spectrum of surf spots - the high-performance big wave spot. With competitors opting for the days when Hale’iwa is very much in the big wave realm - it is only possible for surfers of the caliber of Barron Mamiya to add on the “high-performance” half of the equation. Photo: Brian Bielmann
Hale'iwa Hale’iwa was traditionally the first jewel of the Vans Triple Crown, and in the two years of the digital version’s existence, it has retained the aura as the unofficial kick-off of the event. While it is a world class wave, Hale’iwa doesn't normally garner as much attention as it’s sister locations, Pipeline and Sunset. This is partly due to being several miles removed from the epicenter of the North Shore, which includes Pipe and Sunset, that stretches from Waimea Bay to Velzyland. Surfers are creatures of habit, surfing what's in front of them, Hale’iwa can become unintentionally forgotten by pros who set their lazer focus on Pipeline and its adjacent spots. But, with each spot given equal weight towards capturing The Crown, it levels the playing field and Hale’iwa is given it’s due recognition. Last year, while John John stole the show at Hale’iwa, his rides along with the vast majority of his competitors came from one glorious day at Ali’i Beach. Much like last season, the best day at Hale’iwa arrived early in the waiting period, with the competitors descending en masse on Hale’iwa and giving it their all in one grueling marathon day of surfing. If anyone hoped for a big score at Hale’iwa they knew they had to do it on the best waves, and this super-session was their best bet. In turn, this would be the one time in the entire event window when a majority of the competitors surfed together at once at the same spot.
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Photo Brian Bielmann
Filmer’s Dilemma Being that a ride isn't scored without video evidence in the Vans Digital Triple Crown, Hale’iwa can be especially challenging when the waves are big. As a surfer is usually blocked from view by the wave in front of them. You’ll find filmers getting creative, and secretive, with their angles to capture all the action.
Wave Characteristics Conditioning is critical here due to the notorious Haleʻiwa current. On bigger swells, especially from the northern direction, the raging river-like rip sucks out to sea towards Pua’ena Point, challenging surfers’ endurance and athleticism. These competitors are some of the fittest surfers on the planet, yet to a person, everyone noted how tired they were after a day surfing and paddling against the relentless current.
John John Florence has always been synonymous with Pipeline, but his dominance on the North Shore as a whole has been solidified in small part by his performances in the Vans Digital Triple Crown the last two years - with some of the very best surfing ever done at Hale’iwa. This year was a continuation of that dominance. Photo: Brian Bielmann
North Shore’s Zoe McDougall has really found her stride in the Vans Triple Crown, putting in solid performances at all three venues and an impressive overall 3rd place finish. Photo: Brian Bielmann
The inside section of the right is nicknamed “The Toilet Bowl,” which drains over shallow reef allowing for show-stopping finishing maneuvers and dramatic wipeouts. Classic Haleʻiwa comes to life when the swell is 4 feet and above, when the wave moves to the outer ledge of the reef and gets critically steep and hollow as the size increases. For the Vans Digital Triple Crown, the highest scoring rides are coming from days when the surf is so big it’s bordering on unsurfable. While the elements of current and wave size demand traditional big wave equipment, these competitors are pushing the performance barrier on step-ups just a few inches bigger than their shortboards.
Hale’iwa Results Men 1st John John Florence 2nd Barron Mamiya 3rd Crosby Colapinto 4th Tomas Hermes 5th Imaikalani deVault
Women 1st Carissa Moore 2nd Gabriela Bryan 3rd Zoe Mcdougall 4th Brisa Hennessy 5th Nadia Erostarbe
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En route to another Vans Triple Crown victory, John John Florence’s now patented open face swoop continues to redefine what's possible in deep water surf. Photo: Brian Bielmann
Sunset Beach Long considered the epicenter of big wave power surfing, Sunset Beach’s unparalleled history and influence reach back to the dawn of surfing’s modern era. While big wave surfing has progressed dramatically from its early days through advances in equipment—and the pioneering of previously unfathomable waves like Jaws, Mavericks, and Nazare—Sunset Beach continues to demand a level of mastery that very few surfers in the world achieve. Of the three venues of the Vans Triple Crown, Sunset arguably presents the greatest challenge for surfers to achieve their top scores. A deep water wave, breaking hundreds of yards offshore, Sunset is highly susceptible to the elements - wind, current, and swell. Meaning surfers must tap into the classic power base that defined surfers of yore. With scores at Pipe coming almost entirely from riding the barrel, Hale’iwa and Sunset scores come largely from the surfing done on the face of the wave. While both are extreme waves in their own right, Hale’iwa does offer moments of high-performance abandon, Sunset never takes its finger off the power button.
Kaua’i’s Gabriela Bryan has been logging tons of time on the North Shore this season and her presence in the lineup has been felt. Her mixture of style and power is well suited to Sunset Beach’s open walls. Photo: Brian Bielmann
Filmer’s Dilemma Similar to Hale’iwa, the challenge for filmers at Sunset is capturing surfer’s rides in their entirety. In addition to surfers being obscured by the waves in front of them, additional challenges include the distance the waves are from shore, along with the steady stream of tourists who stroll through Sunset Beach and regularly target filmers with a litany of questions, like, “Where’s the Banzai?”
San Clemente’s Pat Gudauskas, embracing the progressive craft challenge of the Vans Triple Crown, charging the Sunset peak on his experimental Twin Pin gun. Photo: Brian Bielmann
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Wave Characteristics Sunset Beach has been an epicenter of big wave power surfing since the very beginning of the modern surfing era. Breaking far out at sea, the wave zone stretches across several hundred yards, making it extremely challenging for surfers to find the regular takeoff zones. The combo of powerful waves, strong currents, and gusty tradewinds make Sunset one of the most challenging lineups in the world, bringing about another level of respect to the surfers who master it. Much like Hale’iwa, competitors try to get away with the smallest equipment as possible to allow themselves to perform on the wave. But, at Sunset especially, you have to be sure to catch the wave first. Being that this is a digital event, there's no clearing the lineup of freesurfers. So, competitors are battling for waves with surfers on traditional big-wave equipment with exceedingly greater wave-catching ability.
The Gudauskas brothers heading out on traditional and progressive craft Photo: Brian Bielmann
Sunset Results Men 1st John John Florence 2nd Barron Mamiya 3rd Nathan Florence 4th Tomas Hermes 5th Crosby Colapinto
Women 1st Carissa Moore 2nd Brisa Hennessy 3rd Gabriela Bryan 4th Zoe Mcdougall 5th Moana Jones Wong
Sunset Beach Photo: Ryan “Chachi” Craig
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The Colapinto brothers have been a serious force on the North Shore for several seasons now. Older brother Griffin, won the traditional Vans Triple Crown in 2017 - the only Californian to ever do so, and this year younger brother Crosby (pictured here at Backdoor) won the Vans Pipe Masters title of Triple Crown. Keep in mind, this is in a freewheeling month-long waiting period, in some of the best Pipe and Backdoor surf in years, against a who’s who of Pipeline locals. The Colapinto’s have been quietly amassing some of the most remarkable achievements in surfing - right in plain sight. Photo: Brent Bielmann
Pipeline The final, and arguably most prestigious jewel of the Vans Triple Crown is the Banzai Pipeline. The wave of waves, Pipeline is the one which all other waves in the world are compared to and to which very few come even remotely close. And, it all takes place just a few dozen yards from shore in some of the most intense and exhilarating barreling waves the world has to offer. While tube rides can be offered at both Hale‘iwa and Sunset, a majority of the scores at the other venues of the Vans Triple Crown are being earned outside the tube. Meanwhile, the cavernous barrels that explode along Pipeline’s shallow reef are so awe-inspiring that generally whatever happens beyond the barrel diminishes in comparison. While the history of Pipeline, and Pipeline’s surfers, are dominated by the lefts at Pipe and the goofyfooted surfers who surf it frontside. This year’s top 5 finishers in both mens and womens illustrate how far the trend has shifted towards favoring regularfoots and the rights at Backdoor. Koa Smith and Moana Jones Wong are the only two goofyfoots in the top 5, with Moana being the only surfer, in either mens or womens, to get her scores on the lefts at Pipe.
Nathan Florence (top), and Billy Kemper (bottom) have collected more tube time this season then most could ever dream of in an entire lifetime. It's crazy to think as it seems like they spent equal amounts of time ripping at Hale’iwa and Sunset too. Top Photo: Mike Latronic Bottom Photo: Brent Bielmann
Filmer’s Dilemma Unlike the other venues of Hale’iwa and Sunset, there are no major physical obstructions to filming the waves at Pipeline. It’s all right there, right off the beach, one of the greatest shows in surfing - and one of the most photographed. So, if you don’t have the best angle, someone else is bound to have nailed the shot.
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Carissa Moore basking in a glorious trifecta; the beautiful Backdoor morning light, a repeat Vans Triple Crown title, and her first Vans Pipe Masters title. Photo: Brent Bielmann
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Brisa Hennessy surfed brilliantly to an overall second place finish with waves like this at Backdoor. Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
Wave Characteristics Pipeline breaks from 2-15 feet. Waves are best on west or northwest swells with beautiful barreling waves produced from deep ocean swells hitting the shallow reef below. Pipeline is made up of a series of take-off zones: First Reef, Second Reef, and Third Reef. Waves begin to wash through from the outer reefs when the swell gets over the 15 foot range. While historically known as a dominant left-hander, Pipeline has become equally defined by the incredible rights at Backdoor. Of note, all of the rides submitted by the top 5 male surfers were ridden at Backdoor. One of the most dangerous waves in the world, Pipeline has the ominous statistic of claiming more lives than any other wave on the planet, averaging one fatality a year.
Pipeline Results Men 1st Crosby Colapinto 2nd Billy Kemper 3rd John John Florence 4th Tomas Hermes 5th Nathan Florence
Women 1st Carissa Moore 2nd Moana Jones Wong 3rd Coco Ho 4th Zoe Mcdougall 5th Brisa Hennessy
Photo Brian Bielmann
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Jack Robinson, Backdoor Photo: Brent Bielmann
A P E R T U R E
Nathan Florence, Hale’iwa Photo: Brian Bielmann
Tatiana Weston Webb, Pipeline Photo: Brent Bielmann
Eli Olson, Pipeline Photo: Brian Bielmann
Koa Smith, Pipeline Photo: Brian Bielmann
Balaram Stack, Pipeline Photo: Ryan “Chachi” Craig
Billy Kemper, Pipeline Photo: Brian Bielmann
Kū’i’o Young, Hale’iwa Photo: Brian Bielmann
SETH MONIZ
11X World Champion Kelly Slater And Wildcard Moana Jones Wong Win The Billabong Pro Pipeline 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) won the Billabong Pro Pipeline, the first stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), over local hero Seth Moniz (HAW) in pumping eight-to-twelve foot surf. With a near-perfect score of 18.77 (out of a possible 20) and on his 30th year surfing amongst the world’s best, Slater earned his 8th CT win at world-renowned Banzai Pipeline, marking his 56th CT victory. “I don’t even know what to say,” said Slater. “I was out there just telling myself to be in the moment, no matter how much tension there is. Just breathe. So I was just breathing, being in the moment. I thought Seth (Moniz) broke the combo because of the crowd and I said, ‘Just stay in the moment, soak it up.' But I just savored this and this is the best win of my life.”
Seth Moniz of Hawai’i and Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States after winning the Final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
The exhaustion from two previous heats in demanding conditions felt palpable as both Slater and Moniz wiped out on their first few rides in the Final. Ten minutes in, the 49-year-old turned the heat up with an extra-long forehand barrel at Backdoor for a 9-point ride and a commanding early lead. While the Hawai’ian’s attempts remained unsuccessful, Slater continued to build momentum with a 7.17 to put Moniz in a combination situation needing two scores to challenge him for the title. Far from contempt with a 16+ total, Slater found a third gem on Backdoor to improve his backup score to an 8.17.
WSL Champion Italo Ferreira of Brazil surfs in Heat 5 of the Opening Round at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
With two minutes on the clock and while the heat result was all but final, both surfers locked into insane back-to-back 9+ points barrels at Backdoor and had the huge crowds erupting on the beach, putting a final exciting touch to an incredible week of high-performance surfing. Earlier in the day, Slater won heats against Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) and Miguel Pupo (BRA) in dominating fashion. Igarashi had a 3-0 record against the now eight-time Pipeline event winner until their Quarterfinal bout. Unfortunately for Pupo, the heat began with an interference on him as Slater looked to go Backdoor and Pupo had his eyes on Pipeline, which was deemed an unmakeable wave. Bethany Hamilton Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
Bethany Hamilton of Hawai’i surfs in Heat 1 of the Elimination Round at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
In only his third season on the CT, Moniz continued to impress with a massive result, a runner-up finish on his home turf. A favorite when it comes to big, hollow waves, the Hawai’ian was lifted by the support of huge crowds on the beach at Pipeline. “We had a special moment before our Final and it was really special sharing a Final with him out there,” said Moniz. “Honestly, I felt like I was just out there watching him surf underneath me and every time he got a wave it was an eight or nine, and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, here we go.’ I took some beatings in the heat before and I was really tired and making some big mistakes, but it was an honor to surf against him.” Despite falling short of a Pipeline title, Moniz earned a career-best CT result with a runner-up finish after dismantling two-time WSL Champion John John Florence (HAW) in the Quarterfinals. Moniz also had to overcome wildcard, former CT surfer, Caio Ibelli (BRA), who couldn’t keep pace with the proven Pipeline specialist.
Five-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore of Hawai’i surfs in the final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
Moana Jones Wong of Hawai’i surfs in the Final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline.Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
Five-time WSL Champion Carissa Mooreof Hawai’i surfs in Heat 5 of the Round of 16 at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
The following day, Moana Jones Wong (HAW) made surfing history by winning the Billabong Pro Pipeline in an all-Hawai’ian Final against five-time World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW). The first-ever full women’s event on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) at the iconic North Shore break culminated in fantastic fashion with Wong’s statement-making victory. “I can’t believe it, I’m just losing it right now,” Wong said. “This is the best moment of my life and I’m so baffled. I never thought I was ever going to accomplish this. Carissa Moore is my favorite surfer and my hero, I always wanted to have a Final at Pipeline with her."
Jordan Lawler. Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
Tyler Wright. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
Seth Moniz Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
The 22-year-old local surfer that has committed her time to the Pipeline lineup has already proven herself at one of the most challenging waves in the world, and now has put the CT on alert with her performance in competition today. A five-time finalist on the Qualifying Series at Pipeline, she won the HIC Pipe Pro last December and stepped up her game against the world’s best athletes to claim her first CT win. She is the first wildcard to do so since two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) in 2010 just up the road at Sunset Beach. In the Final, Wong picked up right where she left off with two back-to-back rides on Banzai Pipeline to post an early lead of 12 points. The crowds erupted every time the local hero got up to her feet and as she made every wave she paddled for in the opening half, the momentum seemed to be on her side. Another successful ride on at Pipeline pushed the requirement for Moore further up and the World Champion was against the ropes with 10 minutes remaining on the clock. As time ran out, Wong got a final opportunity when she started super deep, counter-peak on a left, and got a clean exit for a 7.67 (out of a possible 10) and a victory lap on home turf as Moore admitted defeat and congratulated her opponent. Now sitting as World No. 1, Wong will also receive a wildcard slot into the next stop on the 2022 Championship Tour, the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, which opens next week. Now a two-time runner-up at Pipeline, Moore added another stellar result on her resume to kick-start her defending campaign on the 2022 CT. Unable to find the exit door on a few big waves in the Final, Moore was humbled by the
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Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States surfs in Heat 1 of the Round of 16 at the Billabong Pro Pipeline on February 1, 2022 in Haleiwa, Hawai’i. Photo by Brent Bielmann/WSL
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Champion Kelly Slater after winning the Final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
performance of her young opponent and gracious in defeat. “I feel like I’m constantly learning,” Moore said. “Today was a little bit outside of my comfort zone, there was a lot of water moving and for me, it was just about putting in some more time with only another surfer out. Congratulations Moana, there’s no one more deserving, she’s put in years and years out here and you could tell she did a great job.” Australia’s Wright put up a great fight in the first Semifinal against Wong, locking into a Backdoor bomb for an 8.83, the best single score of their heat. However, the former World Champion failed to back up her main score and a priority mistake in the dying moments of the heat ended her run at the inaugural women’s Billabong Pro Pipeline in equal third place. Moana Jones Wong after winning the Final at the Billabong Pro Pipeline. Photo by Tony Heff/WSL
“It feels amazing to have this opportunity,” Wright said. “We’re in the pioneering stage, Moana is literally the best of us, she’s trained so hard out here and was always going to be the number one to beat. I was scared but by the end of the heat, you’re starting to figure out where your lines are. None of us have been out there when it’s this big and nowhere close to being in the position. Overall I’m absolutely thrilled, we do deserve to be out there and to have a position in the lineup and I think we’re really showing that right now and it’s really exciting for the future.” In the second Semifinal, Lakey Peterson (USA) did not find any opportunities to score and fell short against Moore. But the perennial title contender posts a strong start to her 2022 campaign with an equal third place.
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Duke in Hollywood Photo: The Paragon Agency
WAT E R M A N
The Life of Duke Kahanamoku to be Celebrated in New Documentary Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born in Honolulu, Hawai’i on August 24, 1890. Duke was born on August 24, 1890 at Haleʻākala in Honolulu, the residence of Princess Bernice Pauahi — great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I. He came from a long line of watermen and was part of a family of chiefly retainers or advisors rumored to be close to the Kamehameha dynasty. When he was 3 years old, Duke’s family moved to Waikīkī, where he spent his childhood learning how to be a waterman. His Olympic debut took place in Stockholm at the 1912 Games, where he won the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and the silver medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. Duke went on to compete in two more Olympics, Antwerp and Paris, accumulating a career total of three gold and two silver medals. Duke used his platform to promote the idea of including surfing as an Olympic event, a dream which finally came true in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. Duke’s fame elicited swimming exhibition invitations from the U.S. mainland and abroad. He traveled overseas to Germany, France, England, Australia and New Zealand to show off his swimming skills. But everywhere he went, he was asked about surfing. While in Australia in December 1914, he carved a surfboard out of a slab of sugar pine from a local timber yard and used it to put on a historic surfing exhibition at Freshwater Beach in Sydney. 70
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On June 15, 1925, Duke rescued eight men from the capsized Thelma in Newport Beach, CA. He also recovered the bodies of the many others who perished. Modern life-saving techniques are a direct result of Duke’s expertise in the water. He gave rise to the widespread use of rescue boards and helped lifeguarding become a profession. Already a star in his own right, Duke lived in Los Angeles between 1922 and 1930, during which time he had bit parts in over 28 Hollywood movies. In 1965, Duke was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and the following year he was inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame. On January 22, 1968, Duke Kahanamoku suffered a fatal heart attack and died at the age of 77. A large funeral was held in his honor at Waikīkī Beach. Waterman explores his journey and legacy as a legendary swimmer, trailblazer, and the undisputed father of modern-day surfing, following the sport’s first-time inclusion in this year’s Games – a fitting tribute to his work promoting the sport around the globe. Narrated by Jason Momoa, this original documentary by Sidewinder Films (At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal, Munich ’72 and Beyond), features commentary from surfing’s biggest stars, including newly-crowned Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, while also delving into his personal successes, struggles and humanitarianism through rare footage, contemporary visuals and incisive interviews. From modest roots in Waikīkī, Duke swam his way to fame, becoming the face of a changing Hawai’i - and a vital part of its tourism industry - as it evolved from an independent Kingdom to the 50th American state. Yet relatively few outside Hawai’i know the full extent of Duke’s impact on sports, lifesaving, and combating prejudice. Through Duke’s incredible athletic accomplishments, personal doctrine of Aloha, and enduring gift of surfing to the world, the film explores a theme that still resonates today – the role of sports in breaking societal barriers – and celebrates his triumphs and philosophy of inclusion, challenging us all to embrace diversity and incorporate Aloha into our own lives.
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W A H I N E
Chelsea Woody By Sierra Brown Photos Sachi Cunningham
Sunset Ranch felt the opposite of what I imagined when thinking about the greatest surfers coming together. The address pulled me along a dirt road, up to a small house and a line of chickens. As a novice African-American surfer from Georgia, this looked more like the countryside of my hometown than the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Awards ceremony.
Not until seeing Mikey
were beautifully free, playing with the wind. We both stood around a little unsure of what to do.
February, South Africa’s arguably most stylish on a wave and athletic professional surfer and truthfully the only one I could immediately recognize, did I realize this was the right place and followed them up a dreamy hill which sat the ceremonies. Slowly we filed in.
She told me this was her first time at an event like this and instantly the otherness I felt disappeared; someone I looked up to was sharing the same fish-out-of-water experience and yet we both belonged there. That one small moment sums up Woody’s mission in the world of Freesurfing. “I saw a void in representation of women that looked like me and I didn’t like that,” Woody said referring to the movement Textured Waves she founded with sea-sters Danielle Black-Lyons and Martina Duran that caught the attention of Vans. “That’s also a passion project. I don’t do that because I want money from it, I don’t do that because I think there’s a way to make a career out of it. I do it because I know that it’s right.“
As more people came, the more it felt like I was on the outside looking in on a different world I’m now a part of. My passion for surfing brought me there but the nuances are still foreign to me as I learn my way. It felt like I was there by fluke accident or some security guards’ negligence until I locked glances briefly with Chelsea Woody.
Textured Waves has dedicated itself to showcasing and encouraging BIPOC women in surfing since 2019, but Woody hasn’t always been a water-woman. Originally from a suburb in Seattle, Chelsea said she didn’t grow up near the coast and when she did visit the beach, she never immersed herself in the ocean.
A Vans Global Surf Athlete since October 2021, 37-yearold Woody beamed. The sun glistened off her face as she walked up in all black. Her curls 74
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W A H I N E “We would go to Ocean Shores, which was three hours from the suburb where I grew up. My family would go but we would just spend the day and dip our toes in the ocean.” It wasn’t until her senior year of high school when she saw John Stockwell’s Blue Crush that a new world opened up but only for a fleeting moment. “I saw Michelle Rodriguez and I thought ‘Oh wow! She kinda looks like me. That would be cool if I could do that’ but I never really thought about it after that. I went to Hawai’i with my sister … I did see surfing then and I wanted to try it and we watched for a long time but I just couldn’t get myself to get into the water.” Though her dad taught her how to swim in her younger years all ideas of getting in the water were unheard of because she started chemically relaxing her hair, staving off any motivation to freely get into the water, which is a commonality between some other Black women. Woody participated in traditional sports growing up, like basketball, track and soccer. After college
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she had goals of completing a triathlon. This began Woody’s journey to a deeper self-love. “To train for that, I had to abandon all those ideas of wanting to keep my hair straight. I started to break down those issues I had with my hair.” Surfing didn’t reappear in her life until she and her husband quit their jobs to travel in 2015. They booked a one-way ticket to Thailand where Woody wanted to see family, reconnect with her roots, and get in touch with nature. The pair traversed Southeast Asia with one backpack. Indonesia is where Woody learned to surf, but didn’t stay consistent. After a year and a half of traveling, they decided to come back to the States but the love of surfing stuck along. “We were traveling to the coast every weekend to go surfing and that just wasn’t easy to live in Seattle and surf. It was becoming a timesuck,” Woody said, explaining her decision to move to Santa Cruz after going on a road trip up and down the West Coast. “We stopped in Santa Cruz and thought ‘Oh this is nice. Maybe we could live here.’ So we moved
W O O D Y
to Santa Cruz and tried to give it a go. I got a traveling nurse job and we moved to see if it works out.”
healthy way that’s not unrealistic or too dangerous.”
Having close access to the
Woody said surfing is her therapy; it helps her through the ups and downs of life. It’s also taught her a lot of lessons on how to deal with life and going where the wave takes you.
beach was a game changer for Woody’s surfing and her sanity. Her stressful, demanding career as a nurse would’ve taken a toll on her mental health had it not been for surfing. “It made me feel less stressed at work. It was an outlet. It wasn’t stressful for me to go out, I wasn’t trying to get so much better so quickly. It became an obsession of like ‘well, if I have free time, this is all I’m going to do.’ Obviously I wanted to get better, but it was just so fun and it wasn’t work. I was learning something new everyday and I enjoyed that challenge and I enjoyed that process of the ups and downs.” Whenever she loses sight of why she started surfing in the first place, she reminds herself by going back to the basics. “Get back on a foam board and have fun again. I’m not trying to be a competitive surfer. That’s not my path in life. It never has been. I’ve just always wanted to have fun and try and be the best that I can be and push myself in a
“If it knocks you off, just get back on and try again if you can.” Surfers like Woody are a testament to the surge of Black surfers like me who have found solace, clarity and joy in the ocean. Though humble, she’s a beam of light for what’s possible for little Black and Brown girls everywhere that simply find joy in surfing. “Many African-American women started surfing late,” she said when encouraging me about discovering surfing in my late 20s. “Even Andrea Kabwasa and Mary Mills, some of the first documented African-American female surfers started in their 30s. It’s a trend that I hope changes and it is changing … I hope the trend changes and that young Black girls start earlier and feel like they can [surf] and they don’t have to wait until they feel confident in themselves. They’ll already have that confidence at a younger age.”
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VA N S H E L P S O U R OCEANS To support and protect the world’s oceans, Vans will be donating a portion of every Circle Vee product sold to the Tides Foundation to support ocean conservancy. The Vans Circle Vee is available now at your local shop and vans.com/ sustainability.
SA LT Y C R E W O U T E RW E A R The Pinnacle Outerwear Jacket featuring their signature “Flying Fish” Camo. 10k Waterproof/5k Breathable and fully taped internal seams so you can keep the weather out and the warmth in.
C R E AT U R E S O F L E I S U R E D N A F L E X M O U L D In 2007, twenty years after Creatures began, they came out with their patented DNA Flex Mould Technology, it was their first patented innovation which still remains today. DNA Flex Mould is featured on all Creatures leashes.
VO LCO M X JAC K R O B I N S O N B OA R D S H O RT Volcom just introduced the Jack Robinson x Volcom Team Vitals! Signature product designed in collaboration with the personalities and heart of the Stone. “I loved working with the design crew at Volcom for my very first boardshort. I wanted to make them really special and bring together the elements that make a great boardshort - look, feel, comfort, length, and color. I’ve been testing them here in Hawai’i and they are mental!” Jack Robinson 78
T H R E A D L AU N C H E S N O N - P R O F I T Since the beginning, Thread Wallets has started out with more than a purpose of making super cool wallets and accessories. Their motto has always been “Carry On” and after all their hard work and dedication, they have the means to launch their new NonProfit Organization appropriately named, “Carry On”. The purpose of their foundation is to “educate youth on the importance of mental health and to provide them with the necessary tools to help them find mental stability and learn life skills through action sports (surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding,/skiing), outdoor recreation, art and music.” Good on you, Thread, we hope the others are taking notes.
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I N D U S T RY N OT E S Zeke Lau Ties the Knot January 21, 2022, kicked off the Lau wedding week here on Oahu! It was undeniably a beautiful ceremony filled with their family and friends in celebration of their love. We were happy to see from the photos that Zeke’s little shiner from the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout was cleared up and picture ready for the happiest day of their lives (we’re sure the Mrs was happy about that too). So, congratulations to the Lau’s, we’re stoked to see the progression of your lifelong love and friendship.
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A fun year so far for Australian gun Jack Robinson, earning second place at the Haleiwa Challenger contest, winning the $50k First Prize for Snapt4, and now becoming part of both the Futures Fins and Electric Surf Teams! We know he’s only just getting started and we can’t wait to see what else this year brings for him.
Kai Lenny Supports Solar Rising Sun, a leading Hawai’ian solar company, announced their partnership with Span IO, Inc., which has revolutionized the home electric panel, and pro surfer Kai Lenny to showcase the unique features of Span’s products, putting them at the top of the market with the highest level of solar and home battery penetration in the United States. Kai, the ultimate waterman, uses the SPAN panel in combination with his home solar and battery system to ensure his equipment is ready to go during the big surf season here in Hawai’i.
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Eli In The ER Monday madness went down on January 24th when young hammer, Eli Hanneman, took a pretty bad spill out at Pipeline that brought him in for a visit to the emergency room. Big thanks to Brodi Sale and North Shore Lifeguard Association for stepping up and playing a huge role in saving Eli’s life that afternoon. His accident left him with eight staples in the back of his head, six stitches in his chin, reef cuts, a concussion, and laceration in his pancreas. Luckily, the doctors did not need to perform surgery and were able to operate through his stomach. We’re happy to say Eli is going to be fine and is on the road to recovery and getting back to getting barreled.
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i'i
Peter Cole 1930 – 2022
On Feb 6th 2022 the surfing world has lost a legendary pioneer in Peter Cole at age 91. Cole passed away peacefully in his sleep. In the back half of the 1950’s Cole graduated college and migrated from the US mainland to Hawai’i where he quickly gained notoriety running with a crew of other pioneers like Fred Van Dyke, Buzzy Trent and Ricky Grigg to name a few. Peter gained “charger” status amongst this peer group, and having excelled in swimming in college, Cole’s verve and confidence was notable in big wave conditions most people wanted no part of. I can testify to this personally growing up and surfing sunset since age 12 I could see Peter out on the biggest days and he NEVER used a leash. Needless to say Sunsets treachery would find Cole swimming in for his board several times a session. Though most who know the man will point to his bravado and knowledge of famous big wave locations it is noteworthy that Peter was also competitive and was the winner of the Makaha International in 1958. Cole was a regular in the line-ups of Sunset and Waimea and was seen surfing out there on huge days past age 65 on many occasions. Peter Cole loved surfing and especially in waves of consequence.
deep bliss Kaulana Apo
i" Craig
Photo: Ryan "Chach
Extremely well educated and intelligent, Cole was a proud family man, father, educator and community leader. He will be missed.
L A S T
L O O K
A note to our current Billabong Pro Pipeline Champion, World #1 ranked surfer, and recent celebrant of his 50th birthday - Kelly Slater, from our Photo Editor, Brian Bielmann. With the whole world in awe of your ageless performance in the Pipeline event, we the surfing world can only say thank you. Thank you for loving the sport, for your perseverance and for being part of our lives, and inspiring us for all these years. To the greatest athlete of our generation we salute you. Photo: Brian Bielmann