Tag: hawaii

The Eastern Surfing Association’s (ESA) All-Star Team just returned from the North Shore of Oahu surfing world-class waves, experiencing the Hawaiian culture and training with professional surfer Tamayo Perry. This elite group of young surfers make up some of the up-and-coming champions within the ESA, which is celebrating its 50th year in 2017. [caption id="attachment_8264" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="wp-image-8264 size-large" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-2-Ted-Eberhart-Intro-to-NS-1024x683.jpg" alt="esa all-star team" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Virginia Beach’s Ted Eberhart</em>[/caption] “It’s great to see the kids out of their comfort zone and watch them work together to accomplish the goal of becoming better athletes,” said mentor Jeanine Montgomery. “Whether surfing  the powerful waves on the North Shore or learning to live in a house as a team and work together to get their tasks completed, everyone learns something about themselves while taking away great life lessons beyond paddling out.” [caption id="attachment_8265" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8265" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-3-Tommy-Tillett-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>First-year All-Star Tommy Tillett from the Outer Banks</em>[/caption] All-Star members and mentors had to deal with brown water advisories, big waves and torrential rains throughout their time in Hawaii. This allowed team members to not only surf the well-known surf breaks such as Sunset, Pipeline and Haleiwa, but also experience various breaks all over the island. “This was one of the best weeks of my life,” said new team member Trevor Francis. “It was a blast to surf amazing waves with everyone on the team and then hang out with everyone at the house.” [caption id="attachment_8266" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8266" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-4-Kainalu-Nichols-1024x731.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="685" /> <em>New Hampshire’s All-Star mentor Kainalu Nichols, who was originally born in Hawaii</em>[/caption] 2017 was Sophie Falzone’s second All-Star trip to Hawaii. “This trip to Hawaii was the best! I made so many new memories and bonded with the entire All-Star team. Surfing everyday with the team was really fun and helped me become a better surfer.” [caption id="attachment_8271" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8271" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-9-Sophie-Falzone-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Sophie Falzone from North Florida</em>[/caption] The team trained with Tamayo Perry of Oahu Surfing Experience for a third year. “The ESA All-Star team members were eager to learn and soak up anything pertaining to surfing that I was willing and able to divulge. This team of groms was such a pleasure to work with as they were able to apply the knowledge I provided instantly and first-hand in some ‘real kine – Hawaiian heavy water’.” “It was great to train with legend big wave surfer Tamayo Perry again,” Logan Kamen said. “I have mad respect for him as he’s always welcoming and shares his knowledge with us.” Team mentor Kainalu Nichols adds, “Working with Tamayo is the best, he explains everything so well and I am grateful for him sharing his wealth of knowledge.” [caption id="attachment_8267" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8267" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-5-Cory-Jackson-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>South Carolina’s Cory Jackson</em>[/caption] “The biggest benefit of the trip for the kids was that it reinforced their camaraderie and mutual respect for each other,” said David Montgomery, an All-Star adult mentor. “Having other East Coasters to share in the challenge of surfing the North shore somehow made it much less daunting.” [caption id="attachment_8268" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8268" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-6-Ted-Eberhart--1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Virginia Beach’s Ted Eberhart </em>[/caption] New team member Abigail Remke sums up the trip perfectly, “My first Hawaii trip as an ESA All-Star was such an amazing experience! Being able to surf all these amazing spots was just the beginning, I’ve made so many great friends that I know will last a lifetime!” [caption id="attachment_8272" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8272" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-10-Abigail-Remke-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Florida Gulf Coaster Abigail Remke</em>[/caption] Special thanks to the following people who made this trip a success. <ul> <li>Jeanine Montgomery</li> <li>Lenny Nichols</li> <li>Pam Hill</li> <li>David Montgomery</li> <li>Jordan Montgomery Photo</li> <li>Tamayo & Emilia Perry @oahusurfingexperience</li> <li>Kainalu Nichols</li> <li>Velzyland Hale</li> <li>Rip Curl</li> </ul> [caption id="attachment_8282" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8282" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/JM2_4478-1024x684.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641" /> <em>The 2017 ESA All-Star Team and mentors</em>[/caption] The ESA All-Star Team would like dedicate this trip to ESA photographer Mickey McCarthy as he was greatly missed by those who attended, and many others in the surfing community on the North Shore. [caption id="attachment_8277" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8277" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-15-Mickey-1024x731.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="685" /> <em>Rest in peace Mickey McCarthy, who traveled to Hawaii with the ESA All-Star Team for several years prior to his unexpected passing last December</em>[/caption] The All-Star team members have also qualified and will be competing at their respective ESA regional events that will be held along the east coast in April and May with live webcasts. Please visit <a href="http://www.surfesa.org">www.surfesa.org</a> for more information, and <a href="http://www.surfesa.org/allstars">www.surfesa.org/allstars</a> for the complete 2017 All-Star Team roster. [caption id="attachment_8269" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8269" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-7-Thomas-Sims-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Gulf Coaster Thomas Sims</em>[/caption] <em>The ESA, which is celebrating its 50<sup>th</sup> year in 2017, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit amateur athletic organization dedicated to the sport of amateur surfing. The organization promotes amateur competition for surfers of all ages and abilities, and is dedicated to the establishment and preservation of free access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment.</em> [caption id="attachment_8308" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="wp-image-8308 size-large" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-8-Braidyn-Cunningham-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>North Florida’s Braidyn Cunningham</em>[/caption] <strong>Press Contact: </strong> Michelle Sommers Executive Director Eastern Surfing Association <a href="mailto:centralhq@surfesa.org">centralhq@surfesa.org</a> 302-988-1953 www.surfesa.org [caption id="attachment_8274" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8274" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-12-Trevor-Francis-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Southern North Carolina’s Trevor Francis</em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8273" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8273" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-11-Leah-Thompson-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Another Southern North Carolina standout, Leah Thompson</em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8275" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8275" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Slide-13-Logan-Kamen-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>New Jersey’s Logan Kamen </em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8314" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-8314" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/image2-edited-1024x731.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="685" /> <em>Leah Thompson and Braidyn Cunningham</em>[/caption] [template id=”411″]

The Eastern Surfing Association’s (ESA) All-Star Team just returned from the North Shore of Oahu surfing world-class waves, experiencing the Hawaiian culture and training with professional surfer Tamayo Perry. This elite group of young surfers make up some of the up-and-coming champions within the ESA, which is celebrating its 50th year in 2017. [caption id="attachment_8264" align="alignnone" width="960"]esa all-star team Virginia Beach’s Ted Eberhart[/caption] “It’s great to see the kids out of their comfort zone and watch them work together to accomplish the goal of becoming better athletes,” said mentor Jeanine Montgomery. “Whether surfing  the powerful waves on the North Shore or learning to live in a house as a team and work together to get their tasks completed, everyone learns something about themselves while taking away great life lessons beyond paddling out.” [caption id="attachment_8265" align="alignnone" width="960"] First-year All-Star Tommy Tillett from the Outer Banks[/caption] All-Star members and mentors had to deal with brown water advisories, big waves and torrential rains throughout their time in Hawaii. This allowed team members to not only surf the well-known surf breaks such as Sunset, Pipeline and Haleiwa, but also experience various breaks all over the island. “This was one of the best weeks of my life,” said new team member Trevor Francis. “It was a blast to surf amazing waves with everyone on the team and then hang out with everyone at the house.” [caption id="attachment_8266" align="alignnone" width="960"] New Hampshire’s All-Star mentor Kainalu Nichols, who was originally born in Hawaii[/caption] 2017 was Sophie Falzone’s second All-Star trip to Hawaii. “This trip to Hawaii was the best! I made so many new memories and bonded with the entire All-Star team. Surfing everyday with the team was really fun and helped me become a better surfer.” [caption id="attachment_8271" align="alignnone" width="960"] Sophie Falzone from North Florida[/caption] The team trained with Tamayo Perry of Oahu Surfing Experience for a third year. “The ESA All-Star team members were eager to learn and soak up anything pertaining to surfing that I was willing and able to divulge. This team of groms was such a pleasure to work with as they were able to apply the knowledge I provided instantly and first-hand in some ‘real kine – Hawaiian heavy water’.” “It was great to train with legend big wave surfer Tamayo Perry again,” Logan Kamen said. “I have mad respect for him as he’s always welcoming and shares his knowledge with us.” Team mentor Kainalu Nichols adds, “Working with Tamayo is the best, he explains everything so well and I am grateful for him sharing his wealth of knowledge.” [caption id="attachment_8267" align="alignnone" width="960"] South Carolina’s Cory Jackson[/caption] “The biggest benefit of the trip for the kids was that it reinforced their camaraderie and mutual respect for each other,” said David Montgomery, an All-Star adult mentor. “Having other East Coasters to share in the challenge of surfing the North shore somehow made it much less daunting.” [caption id="attachment_8268" align="alignnone" width="960"] Virginia Beach’s Ted Eberhart [/caption] New team member Abigail Remke sums up the trip perfectly, “My first Hawaii trip as an ESA All-Star was such an amazing experience! Being able to surf all these amazing spots was just the beginning, I’ve made so many great friends that I know will last a lifetime!” [caption id="attachment_8272" align="alignnone" width="960"] Florida Gulf Coaster Abigail Remke[/caption] Special thanks to the following people who made this trip a success.
  • Jeanine Montgomery
  • Lenny Nichols
  • Pam Hill
  • David Montgomery
  • Jordan Montgomery Photo
  • Tamayo & Emilia Perry @oahusurfingexperience
  • Kainalu Nichols
  • Velzyland Hale
  • Rip Curl
[caption id="attachment_8282" align="alignnone" width="960"] The 2017 ESA All-Star Team and mentors[/caption] The ESA All-Star Team would like dedicate this trip to ESA photographer Mickey McCarthy as he was greatly missed by those who attended, and many others in the surfing community on the North Shore. [caption id="attachment_8277" align="alignnone" width="960"] Rest in peace Mickey McCarthy, who traveled to Hawaii with the ESA All-Star Team for several years prior to his unexpected passing last December[/caption] The All-Star team members have also qualified and will be competing at their respective ESA regional events that will be held along the east coast in April and May with live webcasts. Please visit www.surfesa.org for more information, and www.surfesa.org/allstars for the complete 2017 All-Star Team roster. [caption id="attachment_8269" align="alignnone" width="960"] Gulf Coaster Thomas Sims[/caption] The ESA, which is celebrating its 50th year in 2017, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit amateur athletic organization dedicated to the sport of amateur surfing. The organization promotes amateur competition for surfers of all ages and abilities, and is dedicated to the establishment and preservation of free access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment. [caption id="attachment_8308" align="alignnone" width="960"] North Florida’s Braidyn Cunningham[/caption] Press Contact: Michelle Sommers Executive Director Eastern Surfing Association centralhq@surfesa.org 302-988-1953 www.surfesa.org [caption id="attachment_8274" align="alignnone" width="960"] Southern North Carolina’s Trevor Francis[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8273" align="alignnone" width="960"] Another Southern North Carolina standout, Leah Thompson[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8275" align="alignnone" width="960"] New Jersey’s Logan Kamen [/caption] [caption id="attachment_8314" align="alignnone" width="960"] Leah Thompson and Braidyn Cunningham[/caption] [template id=”411″]

by | Mar 27, 2017 | | 0 |

The Eastern Surfing Association’s (ESA) All-Star Team just returned from the North Shore of Oahu...

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Finals Day at the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro was unpredictable! We kicked off the morning early with the two remaining heats of Round 3, then we immediately got into Round 4 competition. Waves started off slow as the sun rose over Sunset Elementary, but it wasn’t long before sets started rolling in and guys started dropping some big scores. [caption id="attachment_7088" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7088" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Lugo-015.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /> <em>Volcom, still True To This after all these years. Photo: Lugo/Volcom</em>[/caption] The first 9-point ride went to Brazil’s Adriano De Souza on a heavy Backdoor wave in his first heat of the competition to secure himself into Round 4. Along with Adriano, Ian Crane, Benji Brand, and Luke Shepardson advanced to the next round. [caption id="attachment_7084" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7084" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Adriano-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Random-01.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Adriano de Souza. Photo: Volcom</em>[/caption] Round 4 saw similar off-beat scores from the inconsistent, yet improving sets, but boys made it happen. Brian Toth kicked off Heat 2 with a solid 6-point ride, while in the last minute of the heat, Kiron Jabour dropped to third place after Soli Bailey secured solid 6.13 score. [caption id="attachment_7082" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7082" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Brian-Toth-Bielmann-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-017.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Puerto Rico’s Brian Toth charged on his way to the Quarterfinals. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] Heat 3 we saw <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQTchM_F1VF/?taken-by=volcom">Mitch Coleborn bag a solid Pipe wave</a> earning himself a 6.17 to push himself into the lead, and right behind him, Koa Smith took off on a similar Pipe wave, although not as deep as Coleborn, and earned himself a 5-point ride. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQTeA1xAEOp/?taken-by=volcomsurf">John John Florence once again delivered</a>, dropping a 7.5 score right off the bat, then following it up with a 5.17 and 6.83 to hold the heat. [caption id="attachment_7087" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7087" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/John-John-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Random-08.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>John John Florence. Photo: Volcom</em>[/caption] Also getting through Heat 4 was Hawaii’s Hank Gaskell. Heat 5 saw Brazil’s David do Carmo pull off a rocky bottom turn on a Pipe wave and miraculously got spit out with his hands in his air to earn a well-deserved 6.83, while crowd-favorite Mason Ho surprisingly went down due to lack of waves in the heat. The next heat saw more upsets with Makuakai Rothman being knocked out, as well as Yago Dora, who has been in-form the whole event. But it was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQTn9dZgcjW/?taken-by=volcomsurf">Bruce Irons</a>, Aritz Aranburu, Lucas Silveira, Luke Shepardson, Adriano De Souza, and Makai McNamara who all coupled good enough scores to move into the Quarterfinals. [caption id="attachment_7080" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7080" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Yago-Dora-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Random-07.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Yago Dora. Photo: Volcom</em>[/caption] During the Quarterfinals, the side wind had slightly picked up and turned things a bit messier in the lineup, but there were still some gems to be had. Soli Bailey nabbed a 6.17 on a clean Backdoor right, to add to his previous 4.0, and an on-fire Leandro Usuna from Argentina grabbed a couple mid-range scores, both enough to advance them into the Semifinals. Heat 2 saw slower wave conditions and increased wind as John John Florence, Griffin Colapinto, Mitch Coleborn, and Brian Toth tried battling through the conditions in any way possible. While they were hoping for barrels, it turned out to be turns that prevailed as John John and Griffin each found a Backdoor wave which delivered their advancement. Quarterfinal Heat 3 went nearly 15 minutes before anyone had caught a decent wave, and it was Bruce Irons who delivered the first punch on a smaller Backdoor barrel to receive a well-earned 6.33 score. Along with Bruce, it was David do Carmo to roll into the already-stacked Semifinal heats. Heat 4 was another one for turns, with a sneaky tube seen by Artiz Aranburu. While it was another low-scoring heat with the winds affecting the conditions, Aranburu dropped some heavy turns and advanced with a 11.34 and Adriano De Souza advanced with a 7.50. And there it was, the Semifinals were set! [caption id="attachment_7079" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7079" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Lugo-010.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /> <em>Security, keeping things safe. Photo: Lugo/Volcom</em>[/caption] Semifinal 1 saw Australia’s Soli Bailey, Argentina’s Leandro Usuna, Hawaii’s John John Florence, and USA’s Griffin Colapinto. John John drew first blood with a couple playful hooks on a Backdoor right, but it was Soli Bailey to find a barrel at Pipe to get the early lead with a 5.0. Things went relatively quiet, and towards the end of the heat, John John was sitting in fourth position and grabbed a one-turn Backdoor right, but it wasn’t enough. Soli Bailey dropped a huge 8.17 score near the five-minute mark, and in the dying seconds of the heat, Griffin Colapinto found a clean Backdoor barrel, barely sneaking out the doggy dog, to earn a 7.37, securing his spot in the finals. Semifinal 2 competitors picked up the heat and competition went fierce. An in-rhythm Bruce Irons wowed the fans with a 6.77 barrel, and David do Carmo dropped two solid turns on a Backdoor set wave to receive a 5.83. While Aritz Aranburu and David do Carmo were able to get some solid scores, it was Adriano De Souza who advanced to the Finals, along with Bruce Irons who managed to drop a near-perfect 8.93 score. [caption id="attachment_7089" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7089" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Lugo-013.jpg" alt="2017 volcom pipe pro" width="700" height="525" /> <em>Bruce Irons pleasing the crowd. Photo: Lugo/Volcom</em>[/caption] <strong>THE FINALS</strong> With the resurgence of Bruce, the competitive spirit of Adriano, the rookie-hunger of Griffin, and the underdog-hopes of Soli, the final was truly exciting to watch. It started off with a strong paddle battle between Bruce and Adriano for priority, then saw Soli snag a mid-range 5.67 Backdoor tube. With the wind magically switching to slight offshore during the final, it had seemed luck was on their side, but the boys had to wait as a lack of waves keep them searching for a score. A clean-up set caught Soli inside and breaking his leash off causing him to retrieve a backup board from the beach. With nine minutes left, Bruce and Griffin were put in a combo situation when Soli dropped the highest single-wave score of the heat of a 7.33. For the remainder of the final, the waves didn’t produce any additional high-scoring potential, which left Soli eagerly counting down the clock to the final second, which he did. Congratulations to all the finalists, and Soli Bailey for being crowned the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro Champion! [caption id="attachment_7081" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7081" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Soli-Bailey-Bielmann-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-025.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Soli Bailey slips behind a Backdoor beauty for the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro victory. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] <h3><strong>FINAL</strong></h3> <strong>(1) Soli Bailey – 13.26</strong> <strong>(2) Adriano De Souza – 8.43</strong> <strong>(3) Griffin Colapinto – 3.90</strong> <strong>(4) Bruce Irons – 3.66</strong> [caption id="attachment_7078" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7078" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Soli-Bailey-Bielmann-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-01.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Soli Bailey, sitting on top of the world. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sxV59D9i8CE" width="668" height="371" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>SEMIFINALS</strong> H1: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Leandro Usuna, (4) John John Florence H2: (1) Bruce Irons, (2) Adriano De Souza, (3) David do Carmo, (4) Aritz Aranburu <strong>QUARTERFINALS</strong> H1: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Leandro Usuna, (3) Hank Gaskell, (4) Koa Smith H2: (1) John John Florence, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Mitch Coleborn, <strong>(4) Brian Toth</strong> H3: (1) Bruce Irons, (2) David do Carmo, (3) Luke Shepardson, (4) Makai McNamara H4: (1) Aritz Aranburu, (2) Adriano De Souza, (3) Lucas Silveira, (4) Seth Moniz [caption id="attachment_7083" align="alignnone" width="683"]<img class="size-large wp-image-7083" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-011-683x1024.jpg" alt="" width="683" height="1024" /> <em>Soli Bailey celebrates. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] <strong>Round 4</strong> H1: (1) Leandro Usuna, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Billy Kemper, (4) Nathan Florence H2: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Brian Toth, (3) Kiron Jabour, (4) Jeronimo Vargas H3: (1) Mitch Coleborn, (2) Koa Smith, <strong>(3) Balaram Stack,</strong> (4) Tom Whitaker H4: (1) John John Florence, (2) Hank Gaskell, (3) O’Neill Massin, (4) Koa Rothman H5: (1) (1) David do Carmo, (2) Seth Moniz, (3) Miguel Tudela, (4) Mason Ho H6: (1) (1) Bruce Irons, (2) Aritz Aranburu, (3) Yago Dora, (4) Makuakai Rothman H7: (1) (1) Lucas Silveira, (2) Luke Shepardson, (3) Ian Crane, (4) Marco Giorgi H8: (1) (1) Adriano De Souza, (2) Makai McNamara, (3) Benji Brand, (4) Wiggolly Dantas [caption id="attachment_7091" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-7091" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Hawaii-Vic-Brazen-Balaram-Stack-Ezra-Sitt-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-1024x671.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="629" /> <em>Ezra Sitt and Balaram Stack split a spectacular peak. Photo: Vic Brazen</em>[/caption] <strong>Round 3</strong> H15: (1) Benji Brand, (2) Ian Crane, (3) Lucca Messings Novaro, (4) Michael Ridrigues H16: (1) Adriano De Souza, (2) Luke Shepardson, (3) Finn McGill, (4) Parker Coffin <strong>Other Top East Coast finishers:</strong> <strong>Josh Burke (Barbados), 3rd-place in Round 3</strong> <strong>Gatien Delahaye (Guadeloupe), 3rd-place in Round 3</strong> <strong>Ian Walsh, (Maui by way of Rhode Island), 3rd-place in Round 2</strong> [caption id="attachment_7092" align="alignnone" width="960"]<img class="size-large wp-image-7092" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Hawaii-Vic-Brazen-Josh-Burke-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-IMG_5579-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" /> <em>Barbados’ Josh Burke made a valiant run through a few Volcom Pipe Pro heats. Photo: Vic Brazen</em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7086" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7086" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Seth-Moniz-Todd-Chesser-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-06.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Seth Moniz receiving the Todd Chesser award alongside Todd’s mom, Jeannie. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7085" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7085" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Boys-Girls-Club-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-05.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Volcom’s Giving Back program raised $60,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7077" align="alignnone" width="700"]<img class="size-full wp-image-7077" src="https://www.easternsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Brad-Doughtery-Finals-Day-Volcom-Pipe-Pro-Hawaii-Feb-9-photo-Brian-Bielmann-07.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /> <em>Volcom’s Brad Dougherty presents a hefty check to the Sion Milosky Foundation. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom</em>[/caption] [template id=”1199″]

Finals Day at the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro was unpredictable! We kicked off the morning early with the two remaining heats of Round 3, then we immediately got into Round 4 competition. Waves started off slow as the sun rose over Sunset Elementary, but it wasn’t long before sets started rolling in and guys started dropping some big scores. [caption id="attachment_7088" align="alignnone" width="700"] Volcom, still True To This after all these years. Photo: Lugo/Volcom[/caption] The first 9-point ride went to Brazil’s Adriano De Souza on a heavy Backdoor wave in his first heat of the competition to secure himself into Round 4. Along with Adriano, Ian Crane, Benji Brand, and Luke Shepardson advanced to the next round. [caption id="attachment_7084" align="alignnone" width="700"] Adriano de Souza. Photo: Volcom[/caption] Round 4 saw similar off-beat scores from the inconsistent, yet improving sets, but boys made it happen. Brian Toth kicked off Heat 2 with a solid 6-point ride, while in the last minute of the heat, Kiron Jabour dropped to third place after Soli Bailey secured solid 6.13 score. [caption id="attachment_7082" align="alignnone" width="700"] Puerto Rico’s Brian Toth charged on his way to the Quarterfinals. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] Heat 3 we saw Mitch Coleborn bag a solid Pipe wave earning himself a 6.17 to push himself into the lead, and right behind him, Koa Smith took off on a similar Pipe wave, although not as deep as Coleborn, and earned himself a 5-point ride. John John Florence once again delivered, dropping a 7.5 score right off the bat, then following it up with a 5.17 and 6.83 to hold the heat. [caption id="attachment_7087" align="alignnone" width="700"] John John Florence. Photo: Volcom[/caption] Also getting through Heat 4 was Hawaii’s Hank Gaskell. Heat 5 saw Brazil’s David do Carmo pull off a rocky bottom turn on a Pipe wave and miraculously got spit out with his hands in his air to earn a well-deserved 6.83, while crowd-favorite Mason Ho surprisingly went down due to lack of waves in the heat. The next heat saw more upsets with Makuakai Rothman being knocked out, as well as Yago Dora, who has been in-form the whole event. But it was Bruce Irons, Aritz Aranburu, Lucas Silveira, Luke Shepardson, Adriano De Souza, and Makai McNamara who all coupled good enough scores to move into the Quarterfinals. [caption id="attachment_7080" align="alignnone" width="700"] Yago Dora. Photo: Volcom[/caption] During the Quarterfinals, the side wind had slightly picked up and turned things a bit messier in the lineup, but there were still some gems to be had. Soli Bailey nabbed a 6.17 on a clean Backdoor right, to add to his previous 4.0, and an on-fire Leandro Usuna from Argentina grabbed a couple mid-range scores, both enough to advance them into the Semifinals. Heat 2 saw slower wave conditions and increased wind as John John Florence, Griffin Colapinto, Mitch Coleborn, and Brian Toth tried battling through the conditions in any way possible. While they were hoping for barrels, it turned out to be turns that prevailed as John John and Griffin each found a Backdoor wave which delivered their advancement. Quarterfinal Heat 3 went nearly 15 minutes before anyone had caught a decent wave, and it was Bruce Irons who delivered the first punch on a smaller Backdoor barrel to receive a well-earned 6.33 score. Along with Bruce, it was David do Carmo to roll into the already-stacked Semifinal heats. Heat 4 was another one for turns, with a sneaky tube seen by Artiz Aranburu. While it was another low-scoring heat with the winds affecting the conditions, Aranburu dropped some heavy turns and advanced with a 11.34 and Adriano De Souza advanced with a 7.50. And there it was, the Semifinals were set! [caption id="attachment_7079" align="alignnone" width="700"] Security, keeping things safe. Photo: Lugo/Volcom[/caption] Semifinal 1 saw Australia’s Soli Bailey, Argentina’s Leandro Usuna, Hawaii’s John John Florence, and USA’s Griffin Colapinto. John John drew first blood with a couple playful hooks on a Backdoor right, but it was Soli Bailey to find a barrel at Pipe to get the early lead with a 5.0. Things went relatively quiet, and towards the end of the heat, John John was sitting in fourth position and grabbed a one-turn Backdoor right, but it wasn’t enough. Soli Bailey dropped a huge 8.17 score near the five-minute mark, and in the dying seconds of the heat, Griffin Colapinto found a clean Backdoor barrel, barely sneaking out the doggy dog, to earn a 7.37, securing his spot in the finals. Semifinal 2 competitors picked up the heat and competition went fierce. An in-rhythm Bruce Irons wowed the fans with a 6.77 barrel, and David do Carmo dropped two solid turns on a Backdoor set wave to receive a 5.83. While Aritz Aranburu and David do Carmo were able to get some solid scores, it was Adriano De Souza who advanced to the Finals, along with Bruce Irons who managed to drop a near-perfect 8.93 score. [caption id="attachment_7089" align="alignnone" width="700"]2017 volcom pipe pro Bruce Irons pleasing the crowd. Photo: Lugo/Volcom[/caption] THE FINALS With the resurgence of Bruce, the competitive spirit of Adriano, the rookie-hunger of Griffin, and the underdog-hopes of Soli, the final was truly exciting to watch. It started off with a strong paddle battle between Bruce and Adriano for priority, then saw Soli snag a mid-range 5.67 Backdoor tube. With the wind magically switching to slight offshore during the final, it had seemed luck was on their side, but the boys had to wait as a lack of waves keep them searching for a score. A clean-up set caught Soli inside and breaking his leash off causing him to retrieve a backup board from the beach. With nine minutes left, Bruce and Griffin were put in a combo situation when Soli dropped the highest single-wave score of the heat of a 7.33. For the remainder of the final, the waves didn’t produce any additional high-scoring potential, which left Soli eagerly counting down the clock to the final second, which he did. Congratulations to all the finalists, and Soli Bailey for being crowned the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro Champion! [caption id="attachment_7081" align="alignnone" width="700"] Soli Bailey slips behind a Backdoor beauty for the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro victory. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption]

FINAL

(1) Soli Bailey – 13.26 (2) Adriano De Souza – 8.43 (3) Griffin Colapinto – 3.90 (4) Bruce Irons – 3.66 [caption id="attachment_7078" align="alignnone" width="700"] Soli Bailey, sitting on top of the world. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] SEMIFINALS H1: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Leandro Usuna, (4) John John Florence H2: (1) Bruce Irons, (2) Adriano De Souza, (3) David do Carmo, (4) Aritz Aranburu QUARTERFINALS H1: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Leandro Usuna, (3) Hank Gaskell, (4) Koa Smith H2: (1) John John Florence, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Mitch Coleborn, (4) Brian Toth H3: (1) Bruce Irons, (2) David do Carmo, (3) Luke Shepardson, (4) Makai McNamara H4: (1) Aritz Aranburu, (2) Adriano De Souza, (3) Lucas Silveira, (4) Seth Moniz [caption id="attachment_7083" align="alignnone" width="683"] Soli Bailey celebrates. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] Round 4 H1: (1) Leandro Usuna, (2) Griffin Colapinto, (3) Billy Kemper, (4) Nathan Florence H2: (1) Soli Bailey, (2) Brian Toth, (3) Kiron Jabour, (4) Jeronimo Vargas H3: (1) Mitch Coleborn, (2) Koa Smith, (3) Balaram Stack, (4) Tom Whitaker H4: (1) John John Florence, (2) Hank Gaskell, (3) O’Neill Massin, (4) Koa Rothman H5: (1) (1) David do Carmo, (2) Seth Moniz, (3) Miguel Tudela, (4) Mason Ho H6: (1) (1) Bruce Irons, (2) Aritz Aranburu, (3) Yago Dora, (4) Makuakai Rothman H7: (1) (1) Lucas Silveira, (2) Luke Shepardson, (3) Ian Crane, (4) Marco Giorgi H8: (1) (1) Adriano De Souza, (2) Makai McNamara, (3) Benji Brand, (4) Wiggolly Dantas [caption id="attachment_7091" align="alignnone" width="960"] Ezra Sitt and Balaram Stack split a spectacular peak. Photo: Vic Brazen[/caption] Round 3 H15: (1) Benji Brand, (2) Ian Crane, (3) Lucca Messings Novaro, (4) Michael Ridrigues H16: (1) Adriano De Souza, (2) Luke Shepardson, (3) Finn McGill, (4) Parker Coffin Other Top East Coast finishers: Josh Burke (Barbados), 3rd-place in Round 3 Gatien Delahaye (Guadeloupe), 3rd-place in Round 3 Ian Walsh, (Maui by way of Rhode Island), 3rd-place in Round 2 [caption id="attachment_7092" align="alignnone" width="960"] Barbados’ Josh Burke made a valiant run through a few Volcom Pipe Pro heats. Photo: Vic Brazen[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7086" align="alignnone" width="700"] Seth Moniz receiving the Todd Chesser award alongside Todd’s mom, Jeannie. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7085" align="alignnone" width="700"] Volcom’s Giving Back program raised $60,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] [caption id="attachment_7077" align="alignnone" width="700"] Volcom’s Brad Dougherty presents a hefty check to the Sion Milosky Foundation. Photo: Brian Bielmann/Volcom[/caption] [template id=”1199″]

by | Feb 10, 2017 | | 0 |

Finals Day at the 2017 Volcom Pipe Pro was unpredictable! We kicked off the morning early with the...

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