Gallery: Pipeline Cooks, Rookies Feast and Heaving Tubes Served Up at the Banzai

There were highlights galore, including 12 was the excellent range (between 8-10 points) and 10 perfect 10-point screamers, one from Jack Robinson and the other from Barron Mamiya. 52-year-old Kelly Slater went mad for his 100th career win at Pipeline. But the matchup of the day belongs to Barron versus John John Florence. A rematch of last year’s final and a year’s worth of North Shore bragging rights. Three years ago, who would have thought Barron stood a chance? But this guy has proven repeatedly he is a force to be reckoned with here. History repeated itself as Barron got another 10-point ride after John took the first set wave, a much cleaner and bigger copy of their 2024 final. Barron took off impossibly late, getting to his feet with far more water over his head than under his feet. Tom Carroll was in awe from the booth. As was everyone who watched it. 

But this is John John, and it’s 10-12 feet at his home break. Everyone knew it was far from over. John proceed to paddle into one of the biggest Backdoor waves in recent memory, speeding underneath a thunderous cavern. It was preposterous, but you had that gut feeling he was making it. The score easily could have been another 10. However, the judges gave it a 9.63, likely because it lacked an upside-down takeoff like the prior 10. But that's splitting hairs, and it ultimately wasn’t enough to catch Barron. The final result: Barron over John, 17.97 to 17.06. That's one helluva way for John to exit his only CT event of 2025.

“Surfing against John anywhere, it kind of simplifies everything," Barron said. "You already know it's going to be big scores. I knew he really wanted to beat me from last year. And yeah, it was a wild heat. John's Backdoor wave that he got, I honestly think when it came in, it was one of the best Backdoor waves I've ever seen. I was just super stoked to be out there and surfing with him in good waves.”

It was a big day for the remaining rookies in the draw. Al Cleland Jr. delivered a shock to fantasy teams worldwide by taking down Jack Robinson in dramatic fashion. Al swung the first blow by ducking under a bomb that gave him a second cover-up down the line over horrifically shallow water. Though Jack answered in vintage fashion with a perfect 10 for a ridiculous late drop wave that was easily 10-foot and threading a deep tube, Al found the better backup wave and walked away. Jack is now the first man to lose with a 10-point ride since John John Florence at J-Bay in 2017.

"We knew this day was going to be special," Al said. "Once the heat draw came up after the Elimination Round, I knew I had one of the toughest heats ever in my life. That 9.50 came in and I actually was really doubting it, thinking about it. But Jack was right there pushing me, so I was like, you know what, I'm just going to roll the dice. I ended up rolling and going and the drop was pretty sick. I thought I was going to fall, my feet kind of got out of place. I ended up pulling in, pumping and then saw the next section and I almost was like, oh no, I'm going to straighten out for the score. And then I was like, you know what, I'm Mexican, I go all that all the time. I'm never going to go halfway."

Joel Vaughan, the Australian rookie from North Shelly, took down tour vet Jordy Smith by going full bore at Backdoor. Not to be outdone was the last rookie remaining in the draw: George Pittar, who beat two Quiksilver’s two best tour surfers, Griffin Colapinto and Kanoa Igarashi, in consecutive heats to reach the quarterfinals. In the latter matchup, George, who got the CT's attention for his lethal frontside turns as a wildcard last year, showed his chops in the juice by getting this a buzzer-beater over Kanoa.

"I can't even believe I'm standing here right now to be honest," Pittar said. "It was like 30 seconds to go, and I just saw this Backdoor one looming, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm swinging on it no matter what it looks like.' I'm just so lucky that it gave me a bit of an exit and ended up being an okay wave. The fact that I'm standing here right now, going into tomorrow, is ridiculous. It's just so special sitting out there and looking into the beach. Definitely a few pinch-myself moments today, but I'm frothing."

Hard not to show some froth after a day like today. Keep scrolling to view the relatable camera roll from Brent Bielmann and Tony Heff. Tomorrow, February 8, is finals day and there will be some fascinating matchups. Will Barron become complete the rare back-to-back victories? Will Kelly get his ninth Pipeline crown? Or will a newcomer crash the party? Tune in to find out.

Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Men’s Round of 32 Results: 

HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.00 DEF. Edgard Groggia (BRA) 5.93

HEAT 2: Seth Moniz (HAW) 11.60 DEF. Cole Houshmand (USA) 6.17

HEAT 3: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 5.83 DEF. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 3.33

HEAT 4: Joao Chianca (BRA) 8.16 DEF. Marco Mignot (FRA) 4.80

HEAT 5: John John Florence (HAW) 17.30 DEF. Jackson Bunch (HAW) 6.50

HEAT 6: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.37 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 8.40

HEAT 7: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 12.00 DEF. Deivid Silva (BRA) 1.43

HEAT 8: Jake Marshall (USA) 12.26 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 9.50

HEAT 9: Alan Cleland (MEX) 12.83 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.17

HEAT 10: Ian Gouveia (BRA) 14.66 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 10.83

HEAT 11: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.83 DEF. Rio Waida (INA) 12.83

HEAT 12: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 13.27 DEF. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 5.50

HEAT 13: George Pittar (AUS) 12.50 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 8.10

HEAT 14: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 14.34 DEF. Liam O'Brien (AUS) 14.30

HEAT 15: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 14.10 DEF. Connor O'Leary (JPN) 13.00

HEAT 16: Joel Vaughan (AUS) 12.16 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 9.77

Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Men’s Round of 16 Results: 

HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14.40 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 11.83

HEAT 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 10.00 DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) 6.33

HEAT 3: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 17.97 DEF. John John Florence (HAW) 17.06

HEAT 4: Jake Marshall (USA) 13.20 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 10.84

HEAT 5: Ian Gouveia (BRA) 16.50 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 12.83

HEAT 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.16 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.83

HEAT 7: George Pittar (AUS) 14.10 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.83

HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 13.50 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 6.20

Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Men’s Quarterfinal Matchups: 

HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)

HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)

HEAT 3: Ian Gouveia (BRA) vs. Kelly Slater (USA)

HEAT 4: George Pittar (AUS) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)

Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups: 

HEAT 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS)

HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)

HEAT 3: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Sawyer Lindblad (USA)

HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Molly Picklum (AUS)