They Called The Pipe Masters OFF In These Conditions?!? 

Awesome job documenting an epic session at Pipe! Thank you for posting names!

Yea ODL, madness in the decision making process. Saw the swell was projected to be bigger today, I was talking to Heff last night and he was saying how good it was Friday. I personally don't have a lot of positive things to say about the WSL, but that is what we are left to deal with. Yet to see, and perhaps they did make the right call waiting till Saturday... Everybody knows they're trying to attract more viewers with a weekend finals day. Epic content, you recorded it and that's all that matters, make lemonade out of lemons just so stoked for the local crew to score an epic day like that.

Great footage, some nice Backdoor and Pipe waves. Lucas Chianca was charging, he looks' to have a good future. One of the Colapinto brothers got a sick one at Backdoor. Great to see the locals getting their share too. Cheers and thanks for sharing every Pipe/Backdoor swell.

February 4th, from around 11 am till dark was literally as good as Pipe gets. Yes, men’s finals day should have run, without a doubt. As many have already mentioned the WSL faces many variables with regards to their strategic planning of event scheduling. Simply put, it is absolutely impossible to maximize all of these variables on any particular day. From maximizing viewership on the WSL’s broadcast, to attempting to run a consolidated finals day for men and women in conditions that would be optimal and/ or acceptable for both genders, in addition to various other business, legal, and social decisions, the WSL faces and accepts the monumental task of solving this very complex equation. Overall, I believe the WSL does a fabulous job. It really is impossible to get everything correct, every day, and I am quite sure that there is nobody who could do it better. Even though the contest was not run, there still was this incredible day at Pipe and there still were some incredible surfers who got to experience waves of a lifetime, that will be forever memorialized in videos like this one. Thank you ODL!!!

It gave the pros a chance to warm up in similar conditions and the locals some excellent waves: win win in my book

Epic waves! I'm glad they didn't run it so the boyz all got a chance to go out and send it... Thanks for the great clips as usual!

Thanks for posting GOAT

Dang SO many good rides too! Way better waves than finals that’s for sure!

Looks like either day is good. At least everyone got to score. ODL on the spot as always. Thanks 🤙

Epic pipe glad all got some.

All you have is the moment you are presently in. There is no tomorrow just right now. You don't leave waves to find waves. I get it you want the finals to happen on a weekend for more viewers and money but the WSL did no service to the surfers.

I'm stoked that the local crew got to surf it instead of the contest. I like watching the contest but would I would rather see the best day go to the Hawaiian contingent.

Great filming, editing and waves! (Horizon slightly off, but I’m a third generation pro cameraman with ocd so takes my comment lightly, dig it!). Keep up the good work.

classic wsl bafoonery

Local knowledge Kia ora my friend

Epic Condition's yesterday and they call off the Contest 🤯🤯🤯 hopefully today isn't a let down

Mindboggling

Maybe there is a bigger and more consistent swell off shore arriving soon?

Waves look great.

what's the paddle out look like? must be tough

That's equity for ya

They should have for sure

I'm guessing the Contest Director wanted to go surfing rather than watching surfing.

Sending the ladies out in burly gnarly 8 ft pipe? They aren’t up for it yet.

Couldn’t get enough fans on the beach on Friday

Giving it to the locals and visiting pros is a good idea, competition is a commercial enterprise it can wait.

Absolutely.

There was some epic rides in this video! Im looking forward to the comp today. Hoping for a Slater and Wong victory 🤞

If they did go on Friday look at some of the waves that would go empty! Kinda worked out for everyone that they ran it Saturday, worked out for the locals, pros, and spectators !

Looks good to me.

I didn’t see any of the women catching waves🤔

Why didn’t they run at least the women’s?

WSL blew it, contest should have finished on Friday

They ran the men's event. I'm guessing they're waiting for a mushy waist to chest high day to run the women's event.

...Looks PERFECT to me.............a contest with consequences................

Is on .man

This is one of the best waves in the world 🌍,why would you say that? These guys know the waves well

They were greedy trusting on forecast conditions for the next day. Just insane...

Yeah it definitely didn’t make any sense to me. I’m glad all the boys got it good though.🤙👊

I watched the comp today/yesterday and am happy they did not run it.

I am commenting about not running the women’s finals! Firstly, congratulations to Kelly Slater! What an absolutely brilliant performance! I cried with joy seeing him continue to dominate! Amazing! That said, what’s up with the chics? If they get equal pay, more coverage then they have to surf waves of consequence! WTF? If the boys go, then the ladies have to go and surf the exact conditions the men are surfing… period! No excuses! If WSL wants to get all woke, then it’s time for the girls to wake up and earn their paychecks!

Where is JOB and the Florence Bros?

much rather see nice sets go to everyone rather than a few riders who skip half the waves anyway. Good call even though thats not what they were trying for

That’s insanity…those are pretty ideal Pipe conditions, no? Seems to me like it was firing on all cylinders. This was a bizarre decision IMO. What exactly are they looking for…a legit 18-20?!

It's time they scrap the women's and mens heats and comp. Women are surfing as good as the best. Make it a complete comp men + women. Be very suprised when she holds the trophy 🏆. The women are kicking ass

I'm willing to bet the judges would rather surf than judge, maybe that was the reason? lol

Yep...WSL blew it by running Saturday instead of Friday. Also, Seth Moniz got jobbed by having to surf immediately after his semi final heat. Total BS.

As they are calling off the womens, Slater gets a 9 point Backdoor wave in the background.. "too windy" smh

FORGIVENESS , BECAUSE I WANT TO LIVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will be great to see that , grandmaster M Ho 64 and epic to see him. Ditto your comment, filthy good BD. ALWAYS better when the locals get these prime days... If this is global warming effect I hope it never stops 😁🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

I've always found it strange concept closing off waves to locals so pro's can earn a phat cheque... I mean you live in an area, pay tax etc to the local economy and on the best days you get blocked off. Wave pools are the future of comps, we just wanna surf and forget the pro scene

Insane not to run the finals on Friday given how certain the forecast was that conditions would be this good. Unacceptable WSL

They need a smaller day so they can run men and women on the same day! What a fiasco WSL!!!

Most of the women wouldnt stand a chance in those conditions good call

Good surf with some size. But not the best form Pipe is capable of.

Madness they called it off. They pro surfers ffs. Happy the locals killed it though

We are just getting soft in every thing this country does anymore sad state of affairs.

brilliant way to kill 2 birds with one stone.....1) provide good clean hard-charging footage while 2) providing rider-credits without polluting the footage itself. thanks for the extra consideration and effort.