Page 9 - MidWeek East - Dec 21, 2022

FROM PAGE 8
Some big news is the big names missing — these surfers who were on the invitee list are no longer: two-time world champ and multiple Pipe winner John John Florence, Kelly Slater with a record 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 Ferreira, and the greatest female surfer ever and Pipe Master-hopeful Stephanie Gilmore.
for not taking their invita- tions, while Gilmore, new- ly minted eight-time world champion, pulled out due to a scheduling conflict.
good footwear. I’m wear- ing some right now.
pians, Pipe Masters, aerial- ists and some of the sport’s fastest-rising stars.
Florence may be out just for personal reasons to fo- 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.
Medina, Toledo and Fer- reira have all cited injuries
For decades, it’s been about the tube, period. Vans has always been on the vanguard of perfor- mance product and market- ing. Plus, it makes really
Mahalo and aloha, GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!
Beverly Wong enjoys some fun in the sun and returns the ball in a pickleball match at Wai‘alae-Iki Park.
ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTO
Still, what Vans is doing is awesome. It has been supporting surfing for ages.
Either way, my forecast is that Pipe will steal the show for both events as it has since the time it started.
Plus, the Vans Pipe Mas- ters is reimagined this year and will give equal weight to scoring airs and turns as barrels — a bold first at this fabled reef.
Check out classic Pipe images from Sean Davey Photography at seandavey. com. Visit surfnewsnet- work.com for on, off or standby for the Vans Pipe Masters, the Eddie Aikau and the Billabong Pro Pipe.
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com
DECEMBER 21, 2022 9
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