Hawaiian captures Pipeline top title

RICK FIGNETTI

The last big surf event of the 2004 season has concluded with the

$260,000 World Championship Tour’s Rip Curl Pipeline Pro, finishing

up on Hawaii’s North Shore last week.

The surf had been huge over there, but it dropped to epic six- to

12-foot glassy conditions at the ever legendary Banzai Pipeline for

the final day.

The local wild card, 21-year-old Jamie O’Brien, who lives right

there at Pipe, was having the time of his life. Pulling into some

sick barrels like he was free surfing, he got critical late-drop tube

rides that were crowd screamers. He “comboed” the field and won the

first-place prize of $30,000.

Veteran Hawaiian Sunny Garcia came in second with some mean

backhand barrels, and he had enough points to win the overall Triple

Crown Title award. A former world champ, Garcia was out with a knee

surgery last season, so he was stoked to be back in his winning form

in his home waters.

The all-Hawaiian final saw Kalani Robb make his first Pipe-final

appearance, getting third. The placing moved Robb up to 15th

position, securing him a spot on the elite CT tour for next year.

Rounding out the top four was Kauaiian Bruce Irons, who’s had an

incredible week, winning the “Eddie” in 50-foot surf and now placing

fourth. Bruce had tons of pressure on his shoulders because he needed

a fifth or better to get back on the world tour, which he did, even

getting a perfect 10 in the quarterfinals.

East Coast transplant to San Clemente Cory Lopez finished equal

fifth along with Brazilian standout Paulo Moura. Equal seventh were

six-time world champ Kelly Slater, who dominated some of the contest

action days with his insane moves, and Oxnard’s Timmy Curran, who had

some incredible barrels too.

San Clemente’s Shane Beschen placed ninth, coming back after being

injured mid-season to turn on in the last couple events. He missed a

few contests and would have been out in the standings cut, but he got

the injury wild card from the Assn. of Surfing Professionals and is

scheduled back on for the next championship-tour season.

East Coaster C.J. Hobgood finished 13th at the Pipe, along with

veteran Austrailian surfer Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, while Carlbad’s

Taylor Knox was 17th, along with Laguna Beach’s Pat O’Connell and

three time world champ Andy Irons.

It was an epic event -- tons of tube rides -- and no doubt we’ll

see some killer pictures in the mags in upcoming issues.

Mother Nature has hit with another storm dropping some measurable

amounts of snowfall in our local mountains. It was powder city up

there for a few days, but there was some wind hold up on some lifts

as the storm went by, and chains were required getting up.

Here tell, there’s a few new skis and snowboards on the slopes, as

some were bustin’ out their new Christmas presents with that nice

treat of powder.

On a sadder note, our hearts and prayers go out to those who

experienced the earthquake and tsunamis over in South Asia. Beach

communities and small islands were hit with massive waves and

flooding that hit unexpectedly after the giant earthquake. It’s bad

news, and it could even happen to us.

Other than that, I wish you all a Happy New Year. Fig over and

out!

* RICK FIGNETTI is an nine-time West Coast champion, has

announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 11 years and has been the

KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf

reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at

(714) 536-1058.