"Eligibility depends more on social media influence than on true merit and earned accomplishments."
It might be difficult for the adult learner, those who’ve come into surfing in the past few years, to believe but it wasn’t that long ago when Oahu’s North Shore was where everything that mattered in surf happened.
The contests, the magazines, the interviews, were a build-up to the mighty Triple Crown, awarded to the surfer who dominated the three North Shore events, Haleiwa, Sunset and Pipe. It was regarded as even more prestigious than a world title.
Sunny Garcia five of ’em, John John four, Andy Irons, four, Parko three, Kelly Slater three.
In 2024, a Pipe Masters is an invitation-only event, with preference given to Vans surfers, and the Triple Crown, which went digital during Covid, now goes to the surfer who sends in the best clips from the three marquee waves.
Real talk: he is old but age ain’t gonna weary the great James Duncan O’Brien.
Earlier today, North Shore shredder Shayden Pacarro penned an impassioned cri de coeur about the state of play on the North Shore.
As a surfer from Hawaii, participating in surf contests feels pointless without the prestigious Triple Crown of Surfing, a Pipeline Pro title, or qualifications for the Pipe Masters, along with sufficient rewards to support ourselves and our families. We can’t represent Hawaii in the Olympic Games but yet we are not apart of the North American region. We are the Hawaii/Tahiti region. It feels as if our rights to surfing has been stripped away! It seems as if everywhere else in the world has more opportunities, points and incentives than we do. How can it be that the “mecca” and birthplace of surfing has become the smallest arena in competitive surfing? For the very little events that are still alive in Hawaii, how can we secure a live broadcast? @wsl @wsl.qs That feels like a harsh reality check for us. The less we vocalize our concerns, the more they seem to take away from us.
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How can you secure an invitation to the newly revamped Vans Pipe Masters, which actually offers significant payment? Honestly, it’s quite unclear and remains a significant grey area. There isn’t a legitimate ranking or point system in place, no established hierarchy, and no seniority to consider. Eligibility appears to depend more on social media influence than on true merit and earned accomplishments. They say you should dedicate time at the Pipe to earn your place in the lineup, but from what I’ve seen, some of the most legendary Pipe surfers, who have scored numerous 10-point rides and pipe titles aren’t even on the invite list. These unclear determinations reflect a lack of class and undermine the integrity of surfing, as well as those who genuinely deserve to be part of its legendary history. Pipeline: It’s not just about the money; it’s about the invaluable honor of riding one of the world’s most treacherous waves alongside only three other surfers, a special brotherhood. This privilege should be reserved for those who have demonstrated dedication and commitment over time.
Jamie O’Brien, Shane Dorian, Zeke Lau, Josh Moniz, Andy’s widow Lyndie, all dived into the comments to underscore Shayden’s message.
20/20 of surfing
It might have been seen as more prestigious than a world title by kooks from Rossmoyne High School but come on man. Everyone knows Hardman and Barton and even Hobgood but who remembers Mike Rommelse or Kaipo Jaquias or Myles Padaca? Or Bede Durbidge for that matter.
And by the way Derek Ho won 4.
So when did the bros and sisters get so offended by such things. Hard core lads and lasses. Just bottom line it. Rack off or else.
When did Hawaiian’s become such a whiny bunch?
Speaking Truth…Bring back the Triple Crown. Rumors are Vans is divesting in this next year. Maybe we will see one next year.
Looks like Shayden went to private school.
How can you tell?
For the most part, the residents of the North Shore don’t even want comps anymore. Try and find a place to stay now that they made it illegal to rent short term. I guess there is always Turtle Bay for $800 a night.
I have a question. Was the footage I saw in a surf movie of Buttons doing something like five three sixties in a row at Malibu the same contest you won there? Too bad there’s not more footage.
Yep. I got second to Butts that year.
Short-term rentals have always been illegal on the North Shore – the law was widely ignored for decades as there was a demand for accommodation and few legal options.
If you kill the roots, does the tree still grow? World’s Slowest Learners (WSL)…
Gonna have to go back and watch old footage till it does.
No one works in advertising, they just surf the internet.
Xox
Dude’s typos and binary thinking suggest he is a BG commenter, if not directly responsible for a few BG “articles” over the last few years.
Hydro mind for the masters..
When does the side-boob comp start ?
Which surfer got dropped down to the Alternate list to make a spot for Jamie??
The pipe dream is pro surfing paying bills in Hawaii
It all started going downhill when Mendez won in 2018.
The Pipeline Masters is an invitational event to promote Vans – not a surfing contest.
Vans holds the license, Vans has the permit, Vans is paying, Vans can invite whomever they want –
Jamie reversed the initial decision to put him on the alternate list as he can direct his over 1 million social media followers to boycott Vans if he isn’t invited to the event – that is the reality.
Back in IPS days, when you wanted to gatecrash the Pipeline Masters, you had to use physical intimidation and brute force, as Da Hui did to get Buttons into a 7 man final heat!
Now, the only qualification that matters is Vans sponsorship or a large number of social media followers.
That is the bottom line. I don’t believe any contest really matters now that the news cycle moves so fast. Back in the day all the cameras were focused on the main event now every surfer has a camera capturing everything they do, on land and in the water. We don’t need comps to see the best surf so what are they for?
Surfing competition is supposed to objectively determine who the best surfer is on any given day at that spot – like Pipeline, when the Pipeline Masters was a prestigious surfing contest.
Photos and video clips don’t do that as they are someone’s opinion – subjective, not objective.
Surfers will (obviously) choose and post the images and clips that they feel make them look good on social media and will help them build a following.
It’s a completely subjective process – that’s why we need contests, as at least they make an attempt to be objective and not merely seek attention, validation or approval in the form of likes or follows.
Surf comps are just like other sport contest. They build ego and industry while awarding conformity and homogeneity by not rewarding individuality or innovation.
As for the attention seeking surf poster, we (the surf community) should be very critical of everything not proper or awesome. Like how it was before social media. Surfers should have shame and humility. Bragging should come at a price. But with access to pre-teen non surfer followers it is what it is.
“contests award conformity and homogeneity by not rewarding individuality or innovation”
Absolutely incorrect – people like Mark Richards and Simon Anderson created surfboards ESPECIALLY relative to having a competitive advantage and winning heats and events.
MR was first with his interpretation of the twin-fin and later, Simon with the Thruster, the most influential surfboard design in history.
in the mid 1990’s, Tom Curren utilised the “Reverse-V” as interpreted by Maurice Cole to his advantage in North Shore surf and won an event at Hale’iwa on that very board, without logos.
There is nothing in the rulebook that says surfers cannot leverage design advances to win heats and events – if surfers choose to ride established, conservative surfboards, that is their choice.
Others have proven innovation is an advantage.
I remember a time back in the early 90s when the pros got sick of Vetea David beating them on his “mars bar” board that they tried to implement a board specs criteria that would prevent him from riding a board that wouldn’t sink in shit contest waves.
That is my point, It’s not the 70’s 80’s 90’s or even 00’s anymore. Those days are gone.
feel like there’s someone around here who could give some color to that whole TC reverse-V situation ….
As for surfers having “shame and humility” – not at all.
Hawaii surfers will work construction or at the Shipyard their entire lives with that attitude – the haole will walk all over them and get all the money, as they have done with previous generations of “humble local boys” who failed to assert themselves according to haole rules and as a consequence; got nutting, brah.
The biggest problem right now is , there is a sense of entitlement from the old days….everybody wants more money , but the sponsors/Surf co’s are eating shit and it doesn’t look it’s getting any better………chances are a lot less sponsorship $ ‘s for Comps and surfers…negative or reality?
Find another sponsor – the two biggest companies, worldwide that use surfing to sell their products do absolutely nothing in the form of sponsorship.
No individual sponsorship, no competitive surfing events, nothing.
I am talking about Wavestorm and Hollister.
One makes (and sells) more soft-top surfboards than ALL the custom shapers in the world put together and the other sells more surf-themed clothing items than any other company.
Yet, they do nothing in sponsorship – why is that?
No one asked them?
Great point, can’t wait to see the Wavestorm Hollister Pro at the Abu Dhabi Slavepool
Wavestorm’s have given way to Lopez softies at Costco and Hollister will be closing many doors this next year as malls continue to be bad business. There are no answers for the future of big surf business.
Hollister doing quite well – I think revenue of two billion is enough to stage a surfing contest if anyone asked them and if that is what they want to do –
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Would have to get a P&L in order to say that. The rent, employment, manufacturing, shipping, and taxes would tell that story. Plus why would Abercrombie & Fitch think spending money on surfers is a good move when they have been biting surf style for mall kook that know nothing about surfing for so long? And why would we, the surfer, want to open the doors of our beloved surf breaks to those mall loving kooks for short sighted financial gain of the almost good enough to make a living from surfing?
Me no watch any “contest” sponsored by WaveSorm. Nada nunca.
I walked into a rip curl surf shop in NSW the other day. Boring, cookie cutter store with boring clothes and some discounted pop out boards.
It was even shitter than the shops in Torquay.
The industry has a massive image problem. Right now it’s like the adidas or nike shops you see in discount malls.
I mean IDGAF, but on a certain level it’s really sad and pathetic.
The splurge of kooks thru the early 2000’s was never going to sustain. Once the kooks realized surfing was actually a constant threat to ones safety, health, relationships, future, annual trust, and instabookter time they had enough. It was mostly about a few social page pics, and a story line for a minute. The “industry” stepped their game up to a customer that was very part time, and soon to be gone.
When a true Surf Brand is sold to a Corporation, it’s no longer a Surf Brand. It’s fake. If they are run by non-surfers, they no longer know their Market… There’s only a few left: O’Neill stands out…
The real problem is the power brokers in Hawaii have a strangle hold and the WSL doesn’t want to play ball (aka money).
but the people love to see winners and losers …..especially if there is drama, as per the Hawaiian waves and culture!
Watch a solid day a pipe and all that happens without judges. The boys yelling from the yard at Gerry’s, the excitement on the sand, the surfers know who won the day.
yeah but by having comps , winners and losers and entertaining the masses….puts money on the table so surfers can make a living from surfing……I totally get what you are saying , but as we have seen it’s getting harder and harder to make a living out of surfing and sponsorship $;’s are drying up fast!
Totally but I’m good with that. I think there will always be 20-40 surfers worldwide that are interesting enough to make a good living from surfing without the comps and that is more than enough entertainment for the core. Granted I would love to watch contest at A+ Pipe, Chopes, J-Bay, Fiji, etc with a hand full of the best men and women any time they run em. The beach festival to recoup the cost system can go away. And that means a very small industry of board, wetsuit, board short, and accessory makers. Lean and healthy. No “B” level pro surfers. I was one (maybe more of a “C”) and as fun as it was it’s bad business. Lastly the need to sell and market surfing to the masses it is the worst thing for actual surfing.
Surf comps used to be great, go to the local one, watch a few heats, surf with the pros on the lay days.
Then on the other comps, either do a road trip, or wait patiently to read about it in the mag, or hope for snippets on the TV. Those days are long gone and the internet has wiped out most of the interest.
This is all due to the WSL trying to strongarm vans into selling them the comp. Same thing as what they did at Bells but surfing vic folded.
Vans are just waiting for the WSL to fold, and that’s literally not figuratively. Once there’s a new tour it will go back to being a pro comp.
old shoes~stinky too
hard to clean dog poo
my moneye’s on Jeff Levine
or get a fil-in at the banquet…stuff it….
Camel toes
(camel) toes on the nose!
(Camel) toes on the bros