Bruce Irons has received a wildcard into the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons. Rumours circulated yesterday that WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow had awarded Bruce a spot in the main event. Today they have been confirmed.

Here’s what Kieren Perrow had to say in a press release this morning:

“Bruce and I have been talking about a possible opportunity and it’s great to see him charging Pipe again this season. He’s always been a standout at Pipeline and remains amongst the world’s best surfers when conditions get critical out there. With the withdrawals of Fredrick Patacchia and Matt Banting, the WSL is in a position to allocate one of the replacement spots to Bruce and we feel like he’s certainly a worthy candidate given the form he’s in. Looking forward to a great event.”

However, it’s worth wondering how much the #bruce4pipelinewildcard Instagram campaign played a part in the announcement. Did public sentiment force the WSL’s hand or did his inclusion rest solely on his performances at Pipe both past and present?

Whether the WSL bowed to public peer pressure or not the announcement is a win for both them and surf fans everywhere. Bruce has a reputation for producing his best performances in critical conditions and his inclusion has upped the stakes for those in the world title race as they match up against the Hawaiian Pipe specialist in the early rounds.

Here’s what Bruce had to say:

“I’m so honored to be given the opportunity to compete in the Pipe Masters in memory of my brother. “I reached out to Kieren [Perrow] a couple of weeks ago and asked if it would be a possibility and he’s been completely open with me through this whole process. I understand that the opportunity is coming to me due to someone withdrawing, which is never what you hope for, but I’m really pumped to surf Pipe with the world’s best. Really looking forward to the event and I hope the waves fire.”