Kaua‘i-born Pancho Sullivan scored a perfect 10 and an 8.5 to win the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro yesterday in a 30-miniute, all-Hawai‘i final. The win earned Sullivan $7,000 and 875 World Qualifying Series ratings points. This was also Sullivan’s second
Kaua‘i-born Pancho Sullivan scored a perfect 10 and an 8.5 to win the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro yesterday in a 30-miniute, all-Hawai‘i final.
The win earned Sullivan $7,000 and 875 World Qualifying Series ratings points.
This was also Sullivan’s second win at the Monster. He got his first win in this event in 2005, a result which catapulted him onto the elite tour Association of Surfing Professional World Championship Tour.
Fred Pattachia and Kaua‘i’s Roy Powers and Dustin Barca faced the northeast swells which produced waves of 6 to 8 feet in a short day yesterday. All four advanced by placing first or second in the semifinals which also featured all Hawai‘i surfers.
“Conditions were super difficult so my plan was just to chip away,” said Sullivan in a release. “With the incoming swell the smaller waves offered more open face, so my aim was to get a decent score and build on that. A lot of times it boils down to being lucky and getting the right waves.”
On starting from the trials: “There is so much luck involved. I was just fortunate I didn’t get skunked. I was pretty wave-starved in the semi’s. But I was looking forward to getting as many heats as possible under my belt before the WCT starts. This is a great opportunity to prepare and train,” he said.
Patacchia was surprised to keep his grip on second place after giving up 20 minutes into the heat once he realized there was no catching Sullivan. Pattachia opted to leave the water and trade in his surfboard for a pink bodyboard, apparently not concerned by the threat of injury or losing money by dropping his position in the heat. When he wiped out heavily on that, he took to bodysurfing the barrel.
“The thought of injury and money didn’t even enter my mind,” said Patacchia. “I was all about the win, so once I saw Pancho had it, I was done.”
Neither Powers nor Barca managed to secure decent rides in the last 10 minutes of the heat and Patacchia remained at second for $3,500. Powers earned $2,500 and Barca $2,000.
Along with the prize money, 14 wildcards into the coveted Billabong Pipeline Masters next December were on offer to locals in this event. Sullivan, Patacchia and Powers did not need to take up the offer, already guaranteed of a start through their WCT status. Fourth-placed Barca will get a start, along with other highly placed surfers in the event, including TJ Barron, Marcus Hickman, Makuakai Rothman, Daniel Jones, Jesse Merle-Jones, Nathan Carroll, Ian Walsh, Kekoa Bacalso and Ola Eleogram.
