Page 6 - MidWeek West - Dec 28, 2022

6
DECEMBER 28, 2022
Aloha surfers and beachgoers,
The rare Kona storm on Dec. 18-19 was incredible. The cause of it all was a nearby low pres- sure wrecking havoc on the weather, winds and waves. My buddy Pat Caldwell puts it best: “Fall season ends like a giant bowl of oatmeal, wet and lumpy.”
In other news, the Vans Pipe Masters finished Dec. 18 and crowned new win- ners. The unique, yet classic, contest suffered from lack of waves most the holding period of Dec. 8-20. Surfers waited eight days as Pipe- line hardly broke the entire time, which is really rare for December. However, in the nick of time, there was an extra-large north-north- west swell on Dec. 16, which created challenging, yet mind-blowing moments. The episode reached High Surf Warning levels, breaking on the outer reefs with many sets
line a lot. He spends his winters on the North Shore. The big backside barrels he surfed in the contest were off the charts, so hardcore ob- servers were not surprised by his win. Stack is the first New Yorker to make a Pipe Mas- ters final and win the Pipe Masters contest.
Awards in 2020. She is be- ing touted as the next “big thing,” due to her natural tal- ent and results.
The last time we had waves this big, according to Cald- well, was 50 years ago — on nearly the same day in 1972 — with 50-foot faces. It’ll be fun to see what more this rare La Niña winter brings.
The 2022 Vans Pipe Masters winners are Balaram Stack of New York (left) and Molly Picklum of Australia. PHOTO COURTESY MOLLY PICKLUM
talented “goofy footer” from Long Island, New York, named Balaram Stack. He’s 31 and was born in Flori- da like Kelly Slater. Stack charges hard and surfs Pipe-
The women’s $100,000 winner was Australia’s Molly Picklum. She is 20 years old and already has two back- to-back Australian champi- onships, won the Australian Pro Junior in 2019 and was also named Female Rising Star at the Australian Surfing
Picklum loves cracking jokes and “cracking the top off” waves through rigorous training. It is her dream to get to the top of the World Championship Tour. Pick- lum is the first woman Pipe- line Master in history and if that doesn’t build confi- dence and bode well for her pro surfing career, nothing could.
BY GARY KEWLEY
Winter Is Officially Here; New Pipe Masters Crowned
washing through Pipeline. The amazing competitors braved the elements. There were no serious injuries, but
GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!
lots of broken boards. Winning $100,000 was a
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com