Halfway through the Final, Jamie Mitchell (AUS) committed to an incredibly late drop on a lefthander, grabbing the rail of his board to engage into a bottom turn before being eaten by the mountain of white water behind him. Mitchell later surfaced with his equipment and was rewarded an excellent 8.67 for his effort, stealing the lead from Burle. The Australian quickly put a second score on the board to cement his lead and hold throughout the remainder of the Final. The Australian walked away with his maiden Big Wave Tour victory at the Nazaré Challenge, a result earning 12,500 ranking points and rocketing him from 13th to 5th on the tour rankings. “I got into a good rhythm at other events but lost it at some point, but this one I managed to keep it and it feels amazing,” he continued. “I’m going to be here until Friday and it looks like there will be more giant waves coming, so I might just take a day to recover from today and try my luck again out there.”

Big Wave Tour: Jamie Mitchell wins Nazare!

By Chas Smith

7 years ago

And the jaws were left on the floor!

What a 24 hours of professional surfing! Pipeline wowed up until the final few heats wherein announcer Ron Blakey said it “fizzed.” Still. A new Pipeline Master was gifted the world and he looked the part, strong and bronze.

Zeke Lau jumped onto next year’s main card and Kanoa Igarashi showed that he will someday win it all.

Across the Pacific, continental USA, Atlantic Nazare picked up the juice that the North Shore left behind and ooolala! Can you imagine paddling out in those waves? I cannot but I can imagine Jamie Mitchell doing it! Remember when I spent some minutes on a boat with him in Tahiti? He changed my mind about SUPs! That’s how impressive he is.

And Jamie did it so well that he smashed the entire field! Beat everyone to a pulp!

Let’s examine the press release:

Today’s Final opened with an exciting first exchange between tour veteran Carlos Burle (BRA) and newcomer Pedro Calado (BRA), Burle taking the nod and an early lead with a clean lefthander on his backhand and a 6.50.

Nic Lamb (USA) followed in dramatic fashion with two of the most horrific wipeouts seen all all season. Local wildcard Joao De Macedo (PRT) struggled as well, air-dropping unsuccessfully into a monstrous set wave.

Halfway through the Final, Jamie Mitchell (AUS) committed to an incredibly late drop on a lefthander, grabbing the rail of his board to engage into a bottom turn before being eaten by the mountain of white water behind him. Mitchell later surfaced with his equipment and was rewarded an excellent 8.67 for his effort, stealing the lead from Burle. The Australian quickly put a second score on the board to cement his lead and hold throughout the remainder of the Final.

The Australian walked away with his maiden Big Wave Tour victory at the Nazaré Challenge, a result earning 12,500 ranking points and rocketing him from 13th to 5th on the tour rankings.

“I got into a good rhythm at other events but lost it at some point, but this one I managed to keep it and it feels amazing,” he continued. “I’m going to be here until Friday and it looks like there will be more giant waves coming, so I might just take a day to recover from today and try my luck again out there.”

Long-time competitor and 2009 Big Wave Tour Champion Carlos Burle (BRA) placed Runner-Up in this inaugural Nazare Challenge, courtesy of his early efforts in the final this afternoon. Burle managed to fence off numerous assaults from the new guard on his way to the final and will flew the Brazilian flag high in Portugal.

“I’m super proud of my body, it was a tough event all-around in this cold weather, dropping huge waves and getting pounded all-day long,” an emotional Burle said. “I made the final and came close to winning, against the best guys in the world. This is my last season as a competitor but I will keep this great memory and hopefully leave a legacy for the next generation, and I hope they will do their best like I did every day of my life. Nazare is an amazing wave and it was just a matter of time before people recognized that. I’m super happy to have been part of this event as I feel there will be much more to come.”

Making waves among the big wave community were local wildcards today, with Portugal’s Joao De Macedo and Antonio Silva reaching the final in Nazare. De Macedo was the giant killer of this event, eliminating reigning Big Wave Tour Champion Greg Long (USA) in the first round, as well as current BWT leader Grant Baker (ZAF) and Aaron Gold (HAW) in the semis. De Macedo’s amazing run culminated with a third place in the final.

“It feels amazing, just the camaraderie in the water and the way all of us were really pushing our limits today,” De Macedo explained. “The amount of preparation that goes into paddling and surfing this size out there is huge, I’ve been training for months and it feels great. I hope everyone’s really stoked about this event and that we keep coming back, the performance levels were really inspiring. Those were some of the biggest waves that have been paddled into here I think, and to do a contest in those conditions is great. The water patrol guys are so great, they make us feel so confident and allow us push ourselves further.”

Recent winner of the Pe’ahi Challenge, Billy Kemper (HAW) suffered a shock elimination in the opening round of competition, narrowly defeated by local wildcard Silva in a tight battle for third place alongside Kai Lenny (HAW).

Watch the semis here!

And the final here!

Nazaré Challenge 2016 |

1. Jamie Mitchell (AUS), 23.94
2. Carlos Burle (BRA), 13.00
3. Joao de Macedo (POR), 10.84
4. Pedro Calado (POR), 9,34
5. Nic Lamb (USA), 3.00
6. António Silva (POR), 0.20

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After the "worst final" of his career, Michel Bourez wins the 2016 Billabong Pipe Masters, squashing, but only just, little Kanoa Igarashi.

Just in: Michel Bourez Wins Pipe Masters!

By Derek Rielly

7 years ago

Squashes, but only just, the tour rookie Kanoa Igarashi!

It’s an artistic picture. A humid Monday afternoon on the North Shore of Oahu. The entire world of surf tuned into two beautifully in-form surfers bobbing in a flat ocean. After half-an-hour, and four average rides, Tahitian Michel Bourez wins the Billabong Pipeline Masters from the surprise finalist, tour rookie Kanoa Igariashi.

“You know what?” says Michel. “That was the worst final I ever had. It stopped breaking.”

“It was a fizzer,” says the commentator Ronnie Blakey.

The day was anything but average. Three-to-five feet. Oil slick smooth.

There was a little jive here and there. Kelly Slater, whom you might count as the best surfer at Pipe and broker no argument, scored his lowest heat total ever in round four, a 2.24 total.

The Michel v Filipe round five heat? Both surfers rode with all the single-mindedness of burglars blowing a safe.

Were you gratified by Kolohe Andino’s hit-and-run of Jeremy Flores, who now drops out of the WCT? (Wait! No he don’t! He finished seventh on the WQS!)

Watch as Michel vamps like a motherfucker to squash John.

In the dying light, in a dying swell, the season of 2016 finishes.

Kanoa wraps his year beating Jordy Smith and Kelly Slater. His efforts slide close pal Zeke Lau onto the tour.

John John, the boy with a complexion a powdered milky white, anaemic but faintly handsome, wins the Triple Crown, adding the title to a year that included The Eddie and the World Title. The first surfer in history to accomplish such a thing.

Watch the final day highlights here!

Here’s the final top 10.

Billabong Pipe Masters Final Results:
1: Michel Bourez (PYF) 7.53
2: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 6.17

Billabong Pipe Masters Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.37 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.93
SF 2: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 15.50 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 15.00

Billabong Pipe Masters Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.87 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.67
QF 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 17.20 def. John John Florence (HAW) 14.00
QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 11.50 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.24
QF 4: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 18.03 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.74

Billabong Pipe Masters Round 5 Results:
Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.17 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 4.53
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.80 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.50
Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.34 def. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 10.17
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 18.10 def. Nat Young (USA) 16.17

Billabong Pipe Masters Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.66, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 10.16, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 5.00
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 11.00, Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.17, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 8.83
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) 9.24, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 2.77, Nat Young (USA) 1.57
Heat 4: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 12.00, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.34, Kelly Slater (USA) 2.24

Billabong Pipe Masters Round 3 Results:
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.34 def. Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 1.93

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Victory: Red Bull x history win!

By Chas Smith

7 years ago

The Stalinist WSL changes its tune! Let freedom ring!

And did you just watch Kanoa Igarashi beat Jordy Smith? DID YOU?

Amazing barrels! Steezy claims!

Kanoa wins and kicks Zeke Lau into the 2017 Big Dance!

Thrilling!

But guess what?

GUESS WHAT?

BeachGrit and its march for truth in history was the big winner because…

…and are you sitting down?

…are you ready?

The World Surf League has capitulated and allowed the Red Bull hat to shine!

It’s true!

The post heat interview with Kanoa (above) and Jordy (below) featured the Red Bull hat in all of it’s yellow, red, blue, white, orange, ummmmmm, glory!

And you didn’t think the powers listened? They do! Start peppering them! What do you want? Let them know!

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Upset: Bourez defeats John John!

By Chas Smith

7 years ago

The Tahitian delivers a resounding blow in the quarters!

It was the heat of the day, the year even! Not really the year and maybe not even the day but it was a very good heat. Michel “The Spartan” Bourez beat John “John” Florence in his own front/backyard (depending on which way the main Florence home entrance faces)!

And did you watch it? Did you see? If not hurry up and try and find a heat on demand. The World Surf League will certainly scrub it soon because do you know who Michel wears on his forehead? Do you know who pays him some $$$$? Do you know what he drinks when he needs wiiiiiiings?

Red Bull!

Trotsky to the WSL’s Lenin!

Thankfully you have your BeachGrit. Look at the above picture and know that we prize truth above all.

We wave it like a banner!

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Stalinist: WSL scrubs history!

By Chas Smith

7 years ago

Does the World Surf League's online bullying belie darker tendencies?

After it was made public yesterday that the World Surf League was actively engaged in the online bullying of Red Bull by refusing to show the brand’s hats on the webcast it made me wonder if surfing’s governing body was also acting in a Stalinist manner.

During the Soviet Union, Stalin made sport of altering history. Let us read from the archives of the University of Minnesota.

The most common examples of photograph alteration and falsification come from communist Russia. Unwanted persons, so-called “enemies of the people” were not only killed, but also removed from photographs where their presence was unwanted. Photographs were altered with the intent of changing the past.

Leon Trotsky was a close friend of Lenin, and shared his idealistic ideas about the communist state. In the following photographs he can be seen together with Lenin.

The next set of images are nearly identical, however Trotsky is removed from both photographs.

The historical reason for this alteration is that Stalin eventually began to see Trotsky as a threat and labeled him an “enemy of the people”. After he was deported from the Soviet Union in 1929, Trotsky critisized Stalin’s leadership, arguing that the dictatorship Stalin exercised was based on his own interests, rather than those of the people. This contributed substantially to Trotsky’s removal from photographs and history.

And it made me wonder if, in the future, Adriano de Souza’s championship will be scrubbed from the official record, like his Red Bull hat.

Do you want to live in a world where ADS did not hoist the trophy as high as those little arms could hoist? Where hope is stripped away from the working man? Where our only form of energy is Monster?

I don’t.

And we should all take action to stop this menace because I might be next. You might be next.

Scrubbed from surf history.

I leave you with an inspirational poem.

First they came for Red Bull, and I did not speak out—
Because I only drank Red Bull on long drives.

Then they came for Hawaiians, and I did not speak out—
Because I was a haole.

Then they came for the passive-aggressive surf bloggers, and I did not speak out—
Because I did not write for The Inertia.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

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