This morning the WSL Championship has kicked off at the iconic Pipeline break with competition called ON at 8 am local time in pristine eight to ten-foot conditions.
The men’s opening round is underway, followed by the elimination round 2 with thirty-minute heats, with the women’s competition will be off for today with competitors waiting another day to make history.
The opening heat saw Jordy Smith and Owen Right face Ezekiel Lau, who is back on the CT full time after missing last years season, with Jordy Smith sent through to the elimination round.
WSL Champion and Olympic gold medalist Italo Ferreira battled out rookie Callum Robson and hard charger Miguel Tudela and holding firm, he will progress to round 32.
“Pipeline demands a lot from us surfers,” said Ferreira. “It’s a challenging wave for sure. Winning my World Title here in 2019 and making it to the semifinals last year doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be here on Finals day. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Pipe, since it’s such an unpredictable wave. All I know is that I’m ready for all kinds of waves and conditions. I’ve been testing my boards these past few days and training a lot. I just need to keep my feet on the ground and focus on each heat, building it up to the Finals.”Â
