Maui Surfers in Reef Hawaiian Pro; Ho’okipa is On

By Carlos Rock

The webcast is turning into the next best thing to being on the beach. Photo: Carlos Rock.

With a new northwest swell predicted to rise throughout the day Thursday, Nov. 15, contest organizers decided to run the first round of the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa in 1-3 ft waves.

The first contest of the Vans Triple Crown is sure to be exciting for the rest of the day with the rising swell, and tomorrow with the expected jump in size to the 8-15+ ft range.

The webcast is one of the greatest things to happen not only for competitive surfing, but also for surfing in general. The live broadcast brings the viewer right into the action and allows the average surfer to watch the best in the world in real time.

The webcast is showing a slow rise in wave size as surfers in the later heats are hoping for the swell to fill in to the predicted 4 ft range by the afternoon.

Many Maui surfers are scattered throughout the heats and have always put on a great show at these North Shore spots.

Maui natives such as Ian Walsh, Kai Barger, Billy Kemper, 16-year-old Ian Gentil, Hank Gaskell from Hana, Granger Larsen and a few others are all hoping to move on to the later rounds and eventually towards a great Triple Crown campaign.

It would be great if a surfer from Maui wins the Triple Crown, further cementing Maui’s place in the surf world besides Jaws and a few other spots.

Doing well in these events have always helped a professional surfing career because the waves on the North Shore are so respected – bagging a great result and maybe a win at Haleiwa, Sunset, and of course Pipe is why every aspiring pro competes in the Triple Crown.

Hopefully we will see conditions like this for the Pipeline Masters and the last contest of the Triple Crown. Kalani Chapman, wave of the day last winter. Photo: Carlos Rock.

To catch the action check out: http://vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com/reefhawaiianpro2012/live

What is beautiful about a rising swell in Oahu is that same swell will materialize here in Maui.

For the surfers here on Maui, Ho’okipa has been the go to spot so far this winter. (Speaking from experience, and where the most consistent waves have been.)

Since Ho’okipa is so exposed, it is able to get all types of north swell from N, NE, NW. The waves do get a bit tricky with a mixed swell because the directions cause very peaky lineups and the crowds add to the madness as well.

Also, because the wind is such a factor for Ho’okipa, the windsurfers pose an obstacle on the far left side of Ho’okipa known as The Point. Surfers are more affected by the dominant tradewinds that usually blow side-offshore from the NE and they usually create havoc out in the water.

Hidden Ho’okipa gem with sideshore wind. Photo: Carlos Rock.

However, if you are able to adapt and use the wind to your advantage, it’ll help make you a more rounded surfer, and it creates small ramps to practice airs. It is not uncommon to see Matt Meola and Albee Layer boosting into the wind and doing crazy things on a surfboard.

The swell is still on the rise, and tomorrow its on.