Pipeline was mental yesterday. A perfect 6-8 feet, light winds ruffling the tops of second reef bombs. The Da Hui Backdoor Shootout was in full effect, and the second day was shaping up to be one to remember. In the final heat of the day, Pipeline legend and all-around nice guy Kalani Chapman stroked into a massive one, set his line, and waited for the double up. Everything looked fine until it wasn’t–Chapman fell behind the curtain and failed to surface.
While it’s not clear exactly what happened just yet, it looks as though he hit the back of his head on his board. The water-patrol, along with Nathan Florence and Seth Moniz, were on him quickly, pulling his limp body to the surface by his leash. From the beach, lifeguards were able to revive him. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but it’s just a reminder of how easily tragedy can strike.
