Pipe Invitational Called ON for Opening Day of Billabong Pipe Masters

Pictured: The Pipe Invitational Trials start today at 8:00 a.m. HST. Credit: © WSL https://www.worldsurfleague.com

The Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons presented by Hydro Flask and the Maui Pro presented by ROXY have been called ON for a big day of surfing action in Hawaiʻi. Opening Day for the Pipe Masters will start at 8 a.m. HST.

Meantime, Finals Day for the Maui Pro was set to start at 10:05 a.m. HST, but has been canceled for the day after a shark bit incident at Honolua Bay on Maui.

The 2021 Men’s World Surf League Championship Tour will start with the Pipe Invitational trials event, kicking off the 50th edition of the Billabong Pipe Masters presented by Hydro Flask at the iconic Banzai Pipeline on Oʻahu’s North Shore. The Pipe Invitational is the one-day trials event that will determine the two wildcards for the Pipe Masters.

Today’s competition also will include a surf off between Italy’s Leo Fioravanti and Australia’s Mikey Wright for the injury wildcard spot on the CT.

“It’s looking really good, we’ve got solid 8-to-10 foot surf today. Yesterday, it was all-time,” said Marty Thomas, WSL Hawaiʻi Tour Manager. “I was thinking it was going to drop off a little bit, but it hasn’t.”

Pipe Invitational Round of 32 Matchups:

Heat 1: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Noah Beschen (HAW), Brodi Sale (HAW), Kai Martin (HAW)
Heat 2: Miguel Tudela (PER), Ethan Osborne (USA), Ocean Macedo (HAW), Sheldon Paishon (HAW)
Heat 3: Ian Gentil (HAW), Finn McGill (HAW), Shayden Pacarro (HAW), Kalani Rivero (HAW)
Heat 4: Imaikalani Devault (HAW), Tanner Hendrickson (HAW), Robert Grilho (HAW), Jackson Bunch (HAW)
Heat 5: Stewart Eala (HAW), Elijah Hanneman (HAW), Makai McNamara (HAW), Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Heat 6: Cody Young (HAW), Billy Kemper (HAW), Anthony Walsh (HAW), Mason Ho (HAW)
Heat 7: Joshua Moniz (HAW), Keanu Asing (HAW), Logan Bediamol (HAW), Nathan Florence (HAW)
Heat 8: Ezekiel Lau (HAW), Jett Schilling (USA), Koa Smith (HAW), Ivan Florence (HAW)

Only five surfers remain in the Maui Pro presented by ROXY, but competition has been pushed to another day following a reported shark bite incident at Honolua this morning.

Only one of them will secure victory, and take an early lead in the race for the first-ever WSL Finals in September.

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Remainming Quarterfinal Matchup:

HEAT 4: Sage Erickson (USA) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) UPCOMING

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Semifinal Matchups:

HEAT 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. TBD

The Billabong Pipe Masters pres. by Hydro Flask will be broadcast live on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners. The competition will be carried locally in Hawaiʻi by the Spectrum Surf Channel.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.