January 8, 2002
Pipeline, Oahu, USA
Keith Sasaki Creations USA 1
4:40 pm Hawaii Standard Time

For Immediate Release

Day One Completed of the Mike Stewart International Pipeline Pro presented by Rockstar Games


Variable conditions would best describe todays conditions of the Mike Stewart International Pipeline Pro presented by Rockstar Games. The day started with clean waves reaching heights up to sixteen feet face and ended in manageable eight feet face on shore conditions.

For the first time in the events history, the highly contested trials rounds were held at Pipeline. Three full rounds of competition took place, for some this meant competing as many as three times just to make it into the last heat of trials which will start on day two of competition. Some familiar names made it interesting to watch. Kaplan Sanderson did well in his first two heats before losing a swim fin in round three and thus lost all chances of finding waves good enough to advance. Larry McGinn got off to a good start as well.

Two standouts were South African Sacha Specker and Michael Avila of Venezuela. Specker winning both his heats while Avila was victorious in all three of his and accumulated the highest score of the day. Avila, a relatively unknown showed great adversity by competing and winning in the variable conditions.

Paul Benco, Marc Mondello, Kaava Kealoha held up the Hawaiian flag and advanced to day two.

Surf forecasts are predicting another big swell to sneak in overnight and continue through Thursday. Both Friday and Saturday looks extremely promising to continue competition.

Rider profiles, updates, heats and much more can be found by logging on to the events web site at https://mspipepro.tripod.com/mspipepro/

The event is the final stop of the 2001 tour and will crown two champions; Super Tour and Global Qualifying Tour. Australians currently dominate both rankings with Joe Jordanoff and Jason Hazel leading respectively. Riders are competing for valuable points to qualify for next years Super Tour.

If you would like further information please contact Keith Sasaki at mspipepro@yahoo.com

January 8, 2002

Around midnight past, the heavy rumbling that dominated the previous day started to really subside and the pounding turned into a nice uniform rhythm. Hours later as I rode my bike down the Pupukea hill, a smooth southeasterly wind assured me that conditions would be perfect. To my astonishment there were nineteen bodyboarders and surfer Tomayo Perry already in the line-up. The two night guards at the contest, in their heavy Hawaiian accents cheered Ho brah, da waves is mean. Da ting stay bustin good kine. Those encouraging words and the deep barrel some hardcore bodyboarder got on the very first wave I saw, were enough for me to know that the contest would be on.

I guess were becoming too predictable in our old age as I can be found first thing in the morning next to the coffee machine. Like clockwork, DB Dunlap shows up and already knows what the surf is expected to do. Hes become quite a reliable source of wave forecast information. Bob Thomas shows up next, takes a two-minute surf check and quietly, but confidently officially says that the event will start. More people start filing in, some with shit eating grins, knowing theyll be scoring epic waves with just a couple other people, while another group resembled a nervous herd of sheep just before slaughter.

Phone calls to competitors on the outer islands are placed, some heat shuffling by head judge Derek Hulme is done to accommodate those riders and as he posts the first heats on the big board those same happy and worried faces surface once again. Some last minute adjustments here and there, slight mayhem, more coffee, oohhs and ahhs come out of the peanut gallery as someone takes it on the head at Backdoor.

Just the beginning of what looks like to be a great day.

Keeping busy during off days

For those who have spent seasons on the North Shore, having planned extra curricular activities can make the difference between a good trip and plain insanity. Its no secret that some of the best waves can be found in Hawaii but what some people cannot fathom is that the North Shore can be an extremely boring place to be. Depending on your standards for wave quality, theres almost certainly somewhere you can catch a wave or two.

Take today as an example. With waves washing out every spot with Waimea being the exception, what can you do? Mitchell Rawlins tested his luck out at Himalayas, a spot that breaks more than a mile out to sea. It was coming in around 30 feet face and one set washed him all the way back to shore. Those fortunate enough have gone to the west side, Sean Virtue and Dave Winchester opted for tennis at Sunset Beach School and Thomas Richard and Mike Epplestun continued their search for a place to stay, a rarity this year if you werent lucky enough to find a place before your arrival. Mike Stewart added to his legend and swan out to Waimea Bay with a fifty-pound camera pack and filmed the Eddie Aikau Memorial that was taking place.

Chris Stroh who has many years experience in Hawaii sums up days like today perfectly. For those who came alone, theyre probably bumming a little, but the guys who came over with their wives or girlfriends, these are expensive days. Going shopping, touring the island and doing stuff gets expensive. At least when theres surf we can buy em a book and have em suntan. Ahhh, gotta love the Strohy.

January 6th

Roughly over 135 competitors checked gathered at Ehukai Beach Park on the North Shore of Oahu to check in and pay entry fees to the Mike Stewart International Pipeline Pro, presented by Rockstar Games.

Defending World Champion Paulo Barcellos of Brazil, compatriate Guilherme Tamega who is leading the Global Qualifying Series, two-time World Champ Andre Botha of South Africa and all the sports stars were on hand.

The event window starts tomorrow and runs through the 16th of January.

Waves in the twenty-five feet range were plenty today and more is on the way. Contest organizer Bob Thomas will be looking for the best four days to run the event that will determine the winner.

Stay tuned for more updates and up to the minute results.