Page 4 - MidWeek Central - Dec 21, 2022

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DECEMBER 21, 2022
Aloha surfers and beachgoers,
As of this writing, surfers were awaiting small northwest surf to finally kick off the Vans Pipe Masters. Go to snnhawaii.com for the latest, most accurate fore- casts.
BY GARY KEWLEY
Big News About Big Names In The World Of Surfing
This photo shows a scene from a previous Vans Pipe Masters event.
PHOTO COURTESY SEAN DAVEY PHOTOGRAPHY
The Vans Pipe Masters retains its usual Decem- ber calendar spot but is now a specialty World Surf League-sanctioned event. This means World Tour surfers can participate in the event, but results will not af- fect Championship Tour or Challenger Series rankings.
Plus, the Vans Pipe Mas- ters is reimagined this year and will give equal weight to scoring airs and turns as much as barrels — a bold first at this fabled reef.
Check out classic Pipe im- ages from Sean Davey Pho- tography at seandavey.com.
There are 60 handpicked
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com
surfers — 40 men and 20 women — who are previous world champs, Olympians, Pipe Masters, aerialists and some of the sport’s fast- est-rising stars.
cus on 2023 — or maybe he knew about the sketchy fore- cast? As for Slater, he can do whatever he wants.
As a clarification, the World Surf League 2023 Tour, which kicks off with the Billabong Pro Pipe on Jan. 29, has nothing to do with the Vans Pipe Masters, which is a specialty invita- tion event.
Some big news is the big names missing — these surf- ers who were on the invitee list are no longer: two-time world champ and multiple Pipe winner John John Flor- ence, Kelly Slater with a re- cord that’s too long to write about in this article, current world champ Filipe Toledo, three-time world champ and Pipe Master Gabriel Medina, 2019 world champ and Pipe Master-hopeful Italo Ferrei-
Still, what Vans is doing is awesome. It has been sup- porting surfing for ages.
ra, and the greatest female surfer ever and Pipe Master- hopeful Stephanie Gilmore.
tions, while Gilmore, newly minted eight times world champion, pulled out due to a scheduling conflict.
For decades, it’s been about the tube, period. Vans has always been on the van- guard of performance prod- uct and marketing. Plus, it makes really good footwear. I’m wearing some right now.
Visit surfnewsnetwork. com for on, off or standby reports for the Vans Pipe Masters, the Eddie Aikau and the Billabong Pro Pipe. Mahalo and aloha.
Medina, Toledo and Fer- reira have all cited injuries for not taking their invita-
Florence may be out just for personal reasons to fo-
GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!
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