Caltex

Caltex

He’s wasn’t on many a radar until the end of 2021 when the Evans Head born and bread power monger qualified for the big show in Hawaii. We boosted the fifty minutes down the motorway from Tweed to hang out with Callum ‘Caltex’ Robson on the eve of his debut at the Banzai Pipeline.

Vans Triple Crown

Vans Triple Crown

John John Florence, 2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Men’s Champion

John John Florence and Carissa Moore claim the title of 2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Digital Champions. World-renowned for multiple WSL world championship titles and serving as an enduring inspiration for surfers and sports fans everywhere, Oahu natives Florence and Moore continue to honor the surf breaks that started it all with their back-to-back wins.

The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is a marathon, not a sprint. In its digital version, there is a vast, added technical layer that makes it the most physically challenging surfing event in the world; 30 days, three unique surf spots, colossal surf, progressive craft requirement, and the strategic digital capture requirement that kept competitors hunting down clips late into the final hours of the month-long competition.

Carissa Moore, 2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Women’s Champion

This year’s event saw 95 total athletes compete in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, submitting a total of 320 waves. Of those athletes, locals comprised 40% of the field, with 79% of the total prize purse ($223,000) being won by Hawaii surfers. All said and done, only 25 surfers met every single demanding criteria of the competition by midnight, January 21, 2022. The single highest prize money winner was a woman for the first time in 39 years. Carissa Moore won a total of $66,500 with a clean sweep across ALL categories: Hawaiian Pro (Haleiwa), World Cup (Sunset Beach), Pipe Masters (Pipeline), Fan Favourite, and Overall Vans Triple Crown of Surfing women’s series champion.

“I’ve never surfed Pipe and Sunset as much as I did this Winter. Those are two really challenging waves,” said Carissa Moore, who won her second Vans Triple Crown championship. “It was great motivation to get out there and keep pushing the limits of what we can do.”

“You just don’t know any more with this format because anybody can be at any spot whenever,” said John John Florence, who claimed his fifth Vans Triple Crown championship title of his career with this win. “Especially when you have waves in the 8 to 10-foot range for a lot of the days, where all three spots are good. It’s tough competition.”

Crosby Colapinto, 2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Pipe Master

In a historic first, 20-year-old Crosby Colapinto took the men’s title as Vans Pipe Master at the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing amongst a heavily contested field. The Californian’s win reflects the amount of time he’s put into this wave over the past few years and showcases the exciting stories that the digital competition format can expose. Awarding a total prize purse of $217,000, Vans announced the winners during the official awards ceremony event, which aired yesterday evening. Winners for each event location, videography, and fan favourites were revealed.

2021 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champions
2021 WOMENS Vans Digital Triple Crown Champion: Carissa Moore
2021 MENS Vans Digital Triple Crown Champion: John John Florence

Individual Event Winners
2021 WOMENS VTCS Haleiwa Champion: Carissa Moore
2021 MENS VTCS Haleiwa Champion: John John Florence
2021 WOMENS VTCS Sunset Champion: Carissa Moore
2021 MENS VTCS Sunset Champion: John John Florence
2021 WOMENS VTCS Pipe Champion: Carissa Moore
2021 MENS VTCS Pipe Master: Crosby Colapinto

Videography Winners

2021 MENS VTCS Filmer Award: Erik Knutson & Guillem Cruells
2021 WOMENS VTCS Filmer Award: Layne Stratton & Anna Hermes

Fan Vote
2021 WOMENS VTCS Fan Voting Award: Carissa Moore
2021 MENS VTCS Fan Voting Award: Tomas Hermes

The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing legacy remains uninterrupted, cementing the North Shore’s reputation as the ultimate proving grounds for future champions and honoring the traditions of Hawaiian surfing heritage.

Congratulations to all the winners! Watch the winning submissions here.

Backdoor Shootout Winners Reel

Backdoor Shootout Winners Reel

The Backdoor Shootout is a Pipeline specialty event with a goal to have a surf contest in the best waves and conditions possible. The format lets everybody surf the same amount of time. Waves are scored on a 12 point scale and the aim is to get the highest 3 wave total. This year was awesome becuase they let WSL athletes compete in it (usually not allowed) so the field was more stacked then ever!

Most surf contests only focus on individuals but this event they also score your TEAM. Logan “Chucky” Dulien threw together TEAM SNAPT4 this year which included event winner Mason Ho, Snapt4 hero Barron Mamiya, Snapt4 heaviest pipe waves riden Benji Brand and easily the best human on earth Parker Coffin. The boys did damage together, worked as a team and took home the Gold!

TEAM RESULTS:
1st Team Snapt4
2nd Team Volcom
3rd Team Florence

Filming: Rory Pringle, Mason Ho, Slow Motion Water Cinematography Erik Ippel / Ippel films. Also from the ski Larry Haynes.

Team Snapt4: Mason Ho, Barron Mamiya, Benji Brand & Parker Coffin.

Location: Pipeline & Backdoor. North Shore, Oahu. Hawaii.

Jams: Mom Collection.

All surfboard info in end credit roll plus ding report.

XL Jaws

XL Jaws

An XL Jaws swell came in on January 22nd, 2022. The buoy readings were much larger than thought and the waves were pumping all along the north coast’s of Hawaii.

Featuring surfers.
kai lennny
Albee Layer
Fransisco Porcella
Jojo Roper
Torrey Meister
Ridge Lenny
Tyler Larronde
Keala Kennely
Zane Schweitzer
Ty Simpson Kane

Goat Burn Notice?

Goat Burn Notice?

With Backdoor on absolute fire the morning of January 21, 2022, Kelly Slater nabbed this wave with Kalani David behind him. We all make mistakes right, tad naughty or sharing with friends?

Fair play to the Goat for putting his hand up, and doing the right thing. See below taken from @tracksmag instagram.

Billabong Pro

Billabong Pro

The start of the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT) season is set to make history at the Billabong Pro Pipeline, as the women will compete at the iconic Pipeline alongside the men in full competition for the first time. The first stop on the men’s and women’s schedule will host 13 rookies, seven World Champions, and countless World Title contenders in one of the most anticipated competitions of the year. 

Women Will Make History at Billabong Pro Pipeline

A benchmark competition for surfing’s history will kickstart the 2022 season with the first-ever full CT competition for the women. Last year, the women finished the last three rounds at Pipeline to complete the Roxy Pro Maui contest, spotlighting incredible performances from two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) and five-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in waves of consequence. Now, the world’s best surfers will get their opportunity to shine alongside men’s competition for the first time in history as fully integrated events. The CT veterans will also be joined by the next generation of talent when the Billabong Pro Pipeline gets underway. 

Rookies Prepare for Championship Tour Debuts

For the women, three Hawaii teenagers in Bettylou Sakura Johnson, 16, Luana Silva, 17, and Gabriela Bryan, 19, join Australia’s India Robinson, 21, and Molly Picklum,19, on the 2022 CT. While Bryan secured her spot among the CT well before the final Challenger Series event, the others needed to prove themselves capable of rising to the occasion and will now look to cement their places amid the Top 17. 

On the men’s side, an onslaught of talent joins the world’s best with a diverse field of rookies who hope to make their mark. Jake Marshall (USA) notes the first American to qualify since Griffin Colapinto and Caroline Marks in 2018, Carlos Munoz became Costa Rica’s first male qualifier to the CT while Peru’s Lucca Mesinas became the first male from his country to qualify. A Brazilian duo of Samuel Pupo and Joao Chianca look to add their presence to the ‘Brazilian Storm’ while a trio of Australians including Liam O’Brien, Callum Robson, and Jackson Baker look to add to their country’s incredible history in the sport. 

Wong, Mamiya, and Tudela Awarded Wildcards to the Billabong Pro Pipeline

After Moana Jones Wong’s (HAW) undeniable showing at the HIC Pipe Pro QS 1,000, the North Shore local earned herself a wildcard spot into the Billabong Pro Pipeline and is arguably one of the lineup’s standouts when Pipeline comes to life. The 21-year-old will be a sure threat to the world’s best when the opening horn sounds.

“I am so stoked to be given this opportunity to surf in the first ever women’s event at Pipe,” said Wong. “This has always been my favorite contest to watch, so I am over the moon that I am not going to be just watching, but I am going to be competing against the world’s best at my favorite wave in the world. Representing the North Shore and having a lot of experience in the Pipe lineup is great for me but, at the same time, Pipeline is a super tricky wave and even the best of the best out there struggle. I am very humbled to be able to surf out there and be from here.” 

Joining Wong, Barron Mamiya’s (HAW) exceptional showing at the HIC Pipe Pro earned him a runner-up finish and a wildcard alongside former Pipe Invitational runner-up and event wildcard Miguel Tudela (PER).

“Growing up on the North Shore, me and all my friends would always go watch the contest after school,” said Mamiya. “So it’s an awesome feeling being in it this year. Living here and surfing Pipe every year, you definitely get a lot more comfortable than people who aren’t from here and have only surfed it a few times. When you’re comfortable out there, it really changes the way you surf it. It’s one of the heaviest waves in the world and I’m really grateful to have it as my home break.”

Billabong Pro Pipeline Women’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA), Molly Picklum (AUS)
Heat 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Malia Manuel (HAW)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Brisa Hennessy (CRI), Moana Jones Wong (HAW)
Heat 4: Johanne Defay (FRA), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Luana Silva (HAW)
Heat 5: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Tyler Wright (AUS), India Robinson (AUS)
Heat 6: Caroline Marks (USA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)

Billabong Pro Pipeline Men’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Jackson Baker (AUS)
Heat 2: Morgan Cibilic (AUS), Seth Moniz (HAW), Carlos Munoz (CRI)
Heat 3: Conner Coffin (USA), Ezekiel Lau (HAW), Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 4: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Liam O’Brien (AUS), Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)
Heat 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Connor O’Leary (AUS), Barron Mamiya (HAW)
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Jake Marshall (USA), Miguel Tudela (PER)
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Jadson Andre (BRA), Joao Chianca (BRA)
Heat 8: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Kelly Slater (USA), Lucca Mesinas (PER)
Heat 9: Frederico Morais (PRT), Ethan Ewing (AUS), Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
Heat 10: John John Florence (HAW), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Nat Young (USA)
Heat 11: Jack Robinson (AUS), Deivid Silva (BRA), Samuel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 12: Kolohe Andino (USA), Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Callum Robson (AUS)

COVID-19 Updates
The health and safety of our athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and we have been working closely with local authorities to put a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe. This includes pre-event screening, testing protocols, and minimal personnel on site.

Watch LIVE
The Billabong Pro Pipeline will open on Saturday, January 29, 2022. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the free WSL app, and the WSL’s YouTube channel. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.