Pipeline Must Approve of the Backdoor Shootout

Pipeline post-Christmas is often a better time to run a surf contest than before the festive period. Making that point in exemplary fashion the Backdoor Shootout kicked off rounds 1 and 2 in perfect barrels.

"After so many howling onshore days it was good to see the calm weather return with a vengeance this morning." Sean Davey told us "Beautiful glassy conditions with variable breezes and a solid 6 to 10ft west-nor-west swell showed Pipe in all her glory. A real gem of a day.

This year’s format had entire teams together in a single heat, because like the Eddie Aikau contest, it’s a progressive total. Some of the best rides of the morning went to Jamie O'Brien, Billy Kemper, Koa and Makua Rothman, along with rising Hawaiian star, Mason Ho, who bagged a brace at beautiful Pipe and Backdoor. Local lifeguard Dave Wassel also scored some insane rides in some of the better looking Pipe that I’ve laid eyes on this season."