Jordy (cuts) Back!

Smith scored the highest heat of the day as all remaining WSL Title contenders advanced through to Round 3 - Filipe Toledo (BRA), Adriano De Souza (BRA) and Julian Wilson (AUS) earning victories in Round 2, with Fanning and Medina directly after good wins on Day 1. Owen Wright has withdawn due to bad concussion.

The day began with World #2 Toledo taking on former Pipe Master Bruce Irons (HAW). Toledo scooped a morning gem that put the heat out of Irons’ hands to keep the Brazilian’s Title hopes alive.

Facing 17-year-old Pipe Invitational Winner, Adriano De Souza (BRA) had to rely on his best performance to beat Jack Robinson (AUS). Robinson had a chance to end De Souza’s Title dreams but narrowly missed the score needed by 0.67 as the buzzer sounded. De Souza has relied on the experience of Jamie O’Brien (HAW), which could play a huge role in the race.

“I’m actually staying with J.O.B - he opened his house to me a few years back to practice at Pipe and I can’t thank him enough,” De Souza said. “He understands I want it so much and it was so big for me and my career. I really hope I can win this. I don’t have a big sponsor like Quiksilver or Billabong that have houses out here.”

O’Brien will be pitted against current Jeep Rankings’ Leader Mick Fanning (AUS) in the elimination Round 3 and could play a big upset.

“Heading here everything looked like it was going Mick’s way but now it looks like all the pressure is on Mick,” Kelly Slater (USA) said of the showdown. “He’s drawn Jamie, who a lot of people regard as maybe the best guy out here going backside or frontside so he’s probably caught more waves out here than anyone in the last ten years. Mick’s got his work cut out for him but he’s a three-time World Champ for a reason.”

Also keeping his slim World Title hopes alive, Julian Wilson (AUS) charged past current Triple Crown of Surfing Ratings Leader Wade Carmichael (AUS) in Round 2, Heat 5 - nearly comboing the fellow Australian at the final horn. Wilson reflected on his day yesterday and took that motivation into today - never knowing what to expect from the beautiful beast here at Pipeline.

Returning to his first CT event since Jeffrey’s Bay due to multiple injuries, Jordy Smith (ZAF) posted the highest heat total of the day with a 16.00 - earning an 8.67 and 7.33. Participating in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing this Winter, Smith is finding his form at the proper time as he looks to get as much competition in as possible.

“This is amazing, it’s my goal just to surf right now so the whole Hawaiian leg has just been a warm-up,” Smith said. “You can’t rush it, I tried to do that at West Oz and put myself in a bad position. I’m just taking each day as it comes and learning so much more every day. I think it’s starting to be a Hawaiian vacation, there’s no real pressure to try and reach some sort of goal here - I just want to do the very best I can and try to take as many waves as I can.”

Ending a day of high-performance surfing at one of the world’s heaviest waves, the Women’s Pipe Invitational took to the water following Round 2 as 2015 WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW), No. 2 Courtney Conlogue (USA), Rookie of The Year Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW), and renowned Big Wave charger Keala Kennelly (HAW). Moore dominated the heat with an incredible performance - comboing the field en route to her win with an 18.96 heat total.

“It was super fun,” Moore said. “I was a bit wishy-washy about doing it feeling under the weather - but the waves were looking perfect and I just wanted to do it. I have to just say that the women are stepping up and there’s this passion and enthusiasm to push each other. I think we’re all excited to push each other in these big waves and get more innovative and progressive - it’s just a really exciting time to be a female in surfing. ”

When competition recommences, up first will be reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) up against Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the opening heat of Round 3.

NW/NNW swell trends down through the day on Friday, although overhead surf continues. Breezy trades also prevail, but down a bit from the past couple days. Small NW swell prevails over the weekend, with light trades. We continue to watch for a possible solid, long period NW swell for the middle of next week.

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.23 def. Bruce Irons (HAW) 5.07
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.77 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 11.20
Heat 3: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 13.10 def. Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.50
Heat 4: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.50 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 4.46
Heat 5: Julian Wilson (AUS) 12.83 def. Wade Carmichael (AUS) 6.00
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.17 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.50
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.57 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.93
Heat 8: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 10.50 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 6.74
Heat 9: Glenn Hall (IRL) 8.60 def. Nat Young (USA) 7.80
Heat 10: Keanu Asing (HAW) 10.33 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 4.90
Heat 11: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.93 def. Ricardo Christie (NZL) 5.43
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.00 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 4.87

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Keanu Asing (HAW)
Heat 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 7: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Mason Ho (HAW)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 9: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Sebastian Zeitz (HAW)
Heat 10: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 12: Adriano De Souza (BRA) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL)

WOMEN’S PIPE INVITATIONAL FINAL RESULTS:
1- Carissa Moore (HAW) 18.96
2- Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.50
3- Keala Kennelly (HAW) 9.23
4- Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 4.84