Hawaii. It doesn't just go away does it? The waves continue to funnel down onto the 7-mile miracle, the local surfers continue to astound, and the events continue to be run off in good to excellent conditions.
Next up is the Volcom Pipe Pro, and by the time you read this we could already have a round or two under the belt and possibly a few injuries to report on.
Who do think is going to take it? Hard call, but let’s narrow it down a little.
Ever since 2010, for seven years of finals, we have only had three winners. JOB with a single victory (2010), JJF with four of them (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) and Kelly with two (2014 and 2016). Any one of these three surfers could shine again, as well as a number of Pipe specialists that come out the closet this time every year. For us however, we feel that there is one surfer who is in with a shout against these three surfers, and that’s our Jack Robinson.
Jamie O could win this event without blinking, but he has proven to be fairly cold in contests of late, not too focused and having more fun doing insane video clips and having fun with Red Bull and Poopies and the crew. It’s most definitely a situation of JOB not getting enough contest experience during the year, and when the Volcom Pipe Pro rolls around, the other competitors have had a year’s worth of grinding under the belt whether it be a CT or a QS grind, but they’re battle-weary. We all know that it’s only two waves a heat that are needed, and Pipe is that one place where you could get those two waves without expelling all your energy, where careful positioning and precise barrel riding could see you to victory. JOB is hot and cold. He just needs to be hot for this one.
JJF is most likely going to win the Volcom Pipe Pro. It is just too much of an easy call to nominate him for the number one slot. With a World Title and a Triple Crown and an Eddie victory in one year, he is the surfer that everyone automatically expects to win this event. It is in his back yard, he is the most relaxed out there, he is the current world champion, and what could be easier for him than to paddle out in his backyard, get a few barrels at his home break and win the goddam thing again.
Slater, however, is determined to make 2017 his year. He has avowed to be the world champion for the 12th time, and his heart is set on this goal. His points awarded at this event will not carry anything towards a world title, but he is defending champion and a win at this early stage of the year could put his game face on. He is one of the greatest surfers to ever paddle out at Pipe, he understands the nuances of the wave like few others (JJF and JOB being the exceptions here) and when it comes to pulling in over the Backdoor shelf and pulling out all the stops, he is always ready. Slater has never been seriously injured at Pipe, as his fellow competitors have fallen like pins over the years.
Jack Robinson is our pick of the underdogs to make a huge impact at this event. He has done the hard yards as previously mentioned has the hunger of a young Sunny Garcia right now, and would like nothing more than to prove himself again at one of the most testing waves on the North Shore. His previous win out here was in 2015 when he won with that one single wave against JOB, but he has the gumption and the heart to win the event and cement his reputation, just prior to probably climbing onto the Championship Tour where he will probably stay for a decade.
