Monster Enegy Pipeline Pro 2007

MOTHER NATURE GOES ALL-IN

Mark Mathews on the wave of year at Pipe.

Pipeline, Oahu, Tuesday February 6, 2006 -- In casino-talk it’s called a crap shoot and this winter’s MONSTER ENERGY PRO, presented by Billabong, has been, if nothing else, one hell of a spin on the roulette.

Today was day3 for the $75,000 ASP 4-star event. Under the onslaught of a slew of storms slamming the islands since the 2 week waiting period began competitors and officials have had a lot of guessing before each day’s competition started. The on-shore ‘kona’ weather has let up just long enough to get each round completed . With 3 days left in the waiting period – and a significant storm with big surf just over the horizon - it’ll be a roll of the dice and more than a little dose of Lady Luck to get to a Final.

Aussie Mark Matthews found an incredibly ‘nuts’ barrel during the first hour’s clean faced 6’-12’ conditions, pulled in and blew OUT with the best ‘claiming it’ of the season. A perfect 10 for the 24-year old and at the end of the day his total 15.75 was tied with Sunset’s Chad Chidester. California’s Dane Reynold’s took top honors with a 17.5 total . The on-shore winds came ripping in just before noon and ripped the event apart, only 6 heats into the 4th round.

No idea what tomorrow has in store for the final rounds of the ‘Monster’, but no one’s going to turn their back on what could turn out to be another glassy morning/blown to smithereens dawn or whatever gambler’s share the Lady offers up. Banco, anyone? Can somebody tip Mother Nature's hand? – Bernie Baker/SURFER

Epic Conditions Mark the Morning Heats of Round 3 of the Monster Energy Pro
by
James Mull

North Shore lifeguard Dave Wassel.

The third round of the 2007 Monster Energy Pipeline Pro presented by Billabong was greeted with overcast skies and solid 10-foot sets unloading on the reef at Pipeline. Glassy conditions and deadly second and third-reef bombs marked the early morning heats. After a lackluster start with 60mph winds putting the contest on-hold for an entire week, Mother Nature had finally created the death-defying conditions that have come to define Pipeline.

Competitors wasted no time in taking advantage of the epic conditions. Heat number four of the third round began with a bang. With 10-foot swells making their way through the ominous skies and unloading onto the reef at Pipe, it was time for someone to take advantage of Lady Pipeline, and that someone was Aussie hell-man Mark Matthews.

With a treacherous 10-foot Pipe bomb making its way across the outside reefs, Matthews would solidify his fearless reputation by taking off deep behind the peak, freefalling down the face and pulling into one of the most precarious pits of the season. Eventually emerging behind not one, but two-consecutive spits, Matthews made his way onto the shoulder with both arms triumphantly stretched up towards the heavens. Amidst the cheers and screams of the crowd, judges responded with perfect 10s across the board. “It was mental…it was the biggest and the deepest barrel that I’ve ever seen”, said fellow contestant and round three standout Shane Valiere. Matthews would go on to win the heat.

Other notable performances included the long-awaited heat of California superstar Dane Reynolds. Reynolds put his naysayers to rest by putting on a brilliant performance and making quick work of his competition by compiling a two-wave combination of 17.5 points in his third-round heat.

As the day progressed, Kona winds began to tear the sea apart forcing event organizers to postpone the event after the sixth heat of the fourth round. With more epic conditions forecasted for morning heats of the fourth and fifth rounds, more drama is expected as the remainder of the contest unfolds. -- James Mull

PRESS RELEASE

Monster Energy Pro, presented by Billabong, Pipeline Hawaii

A 4-star Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series event

Prize Money: US$75,000

LARGEST COMPETITION SURF OF THE YEAR GREETS MONSTER ENERGY PRO

Little Known Australian Mark Mathews Steals the Show with Perfect 10

Top Heat Score Goes to LA's Dane Reynolds

Brad Ettinger secures a pit.

HONOLULU (Tuesday, February 6, 2007) - The $75,000 Monster Energy Pro, presented by Billabong, experienced the largest contest surf of 2007 at the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii today, with waves in the 12-15-foot range. Australian Mark Mathews won the respect of his peers with a perfect 10-point tube-ride in round three that has been called one of the all-time great rides at Pipeline. He went on to win his fourth round heat late thisafternoon, despite a horrible wipeout in surf that grew monstrous with an onshore wind. He is now through to the round prior to the quarter finals. Mathews also shared the day's second-highest heat score with Hawaii's Chad Chidester - 15.75 points out of a maximum 20 points. The top heat score of the day, 17.5 points went to Los Angeles' Dane Reynolds.

A virtual unknown to Pipeline's high profile riders before today, 24-year-old Mathews has stamped a mark that won't soon disappear. Mathews has been coming to the North Shore of Oahu since he was 16, but missed the past two seasons due to injury.

"Coming out of the barrel was the best feeling I've ever felt," said Mathews, who comes from the hard-working, blue-collar coastal town of Maroubra, in Sydney. "I was just holding on and hoping for the best. That barrel was like a giant room of water spinning around me. As it opened up it sucked all the air in and was pulling me backwards, deeper into the barrel, before it blew me out in this massive shot of water. It was just an amazing feeling."

Mathews won the Makita Wave of the Day Award for his 10-point ride.

The swell continued to pour in, growing even larger as the day went on. Huge sets of waves made many of the 20-minute heats a literal wash-out, and scores rollercoasted accordingly, offering record scores and epic tube rides in some heats, and almost nothing decent in others. There were four broken boards, two surfers who had their competition shirts ripped from them during wipeouts, and a couple of surfers who battled to even make it out into the lineup after being smashed on the inside reef repeatedly by monster sets of waves. It was punishing enough to get the Pittsburgh Steelers football players wincing, with Troy Polamalu and his team-mates making the trek to the North Shore after their weekend game to watch today's action.

Casualties of today's competition included a slew of Pipeline specialists, including Hawaii's Derek Ho and highly seeded surfers Sean Moody, and Marcus Hickman. Six of the 16 fourth round heats were completed before competition was called for the day.

Shinpei Horiguchi

Standouts today included Japan's Shinpei Horiguchi, and Hawaii's Flyn Novak and Chaz Chidester. The twelve surfers to advance through round four are: Carlos Cabrero, Kai Barger (Haw), Dane Reynolds (CA), Mikala Jones (haw), Horiguchi, Daniel Ross (Australia), Mathews, Raymond Reichle (Haw), Novak, Gavin Gillette (Haw), Tory Barron (Haw), and Kyle Garson (CA). Defending event champion Rob Machado (Cardiff, CA), and Monster rider Shane Dorian (Hawaii) will hit the water tomorrow morning.

Organizers expect to resume tomorrow with the remainder of round four and run as far as conditions permit. Beyond Wednesday, they expect a Friday final.

For more information:

Jodi Wilmott - Cell: (808) 258-8533 (not for publication)

The contest can be viewed live each day at:

www.monsterenergypro.com

www.billabongpro.com

Free digital images for the press can be obtained from Pierre Tostee:

pierre@coveredimages.com or tel: (949) 547-5866 (not for publication)

Round 3 - Results shown in order of 1st through 4th. 1st & 2nd advance, 3rd & 4th eliminated

H1: Kai Barger (Haw); Mikala Jones (Haw); Kyohei Yamada (Jpn); Darren Muschett (PRico)

H2: D. Reynolds (USA); Charlie Carroll (Haw); R. McIntosh (Haw); R. Wurlitzer (Haw)

H3: R. Paulson (Haw); M. Mohagen (USA); J. Hines (USA); J. Montgomery (USA)

H4: M. Mathews (Aus); S. Horiguchi (Jpn); G. Depesa (USA); K. Brown (Haw)

H5: G. Gillette (Haw), T. Barron (Haw); K. Cazimero (Haw); W. Goodall (Aus)

H6: R. Jiminez (Haw); F. Novak (Haw); D. Ho (Haw); M. Ushikoshi (Jpn)

H7: S. Hayes (USA); L. McNamara (Haw); N. Kaulukukui (Haw); J. Tanaka (Jpn)

H8: T. Innes (Aus); R. Hayes (Haw); K. Chapman (Haw); S. Beschen (USA)

H9: N. Wallace (Haw); W. Dantas (Brz); C. Allary (Reun); N. Rozsa (USA)

H10: B. Ettinger (USA); D. Fuller (Haw); K. Jibour (Haw); J. Miller (USA)

H11: J. Hassett (Haw); M. Visser (aus); T. Khasshoggi (USA); M. Nakano (Jpn)

H12: N. Ogawa (Jpn); R. Whitlock (USA); K. Stillwell (Haw); S. Ortiz (Haw)

H13: G. Villaran (Peru); D. Wassell (Haw); J. Loya (USA); M. Bruneau (Haw)

H14: D. Ward (USA); T. Wakita (Jpn); T. Anderson (USA); P. Mel (USA)

H15: K. McGee (Haw); T. O'Brien (USA); E. Sitt (Haw); M. Dodd (Haw)

H16: C. Chidester (Haw); J. Fuller (Aus); B. Howard (USA); S. Valiere (Haw)

Round 4 - Results shown in order of 1st through 4th. 1st & 2nd advance, 3rd & 4th eliminated

H1: C. Cabrero (PRico); K. Barger (Haw); C. Carroll (Haw); D. Barca (Haw)

H2: D. Reynolds (USA); M. Jones (Haw); S. Moody (Haw); J. Sullivan (Aus)

H3: S. Horiguchi (Jpn); D. Ross (Aus); R. Paulson (Haw); R. Gonzalez (Portugal)

H4: M. Mathews (Aust); R. Reichle (Haw); M. Mohagen (USA); A. Walsh (Aus)

H5: F. Novak (Haw); G. Gillette (Haw); M. Hickman (Haw); C. Cottrell (USA)

H6: T. Barron (Haw); K. Garson (USA); J. Perry (Aus); R. Jiminez (Haw)

Competition halted at heat 7 due to decline in conditions. Round 4 heats 7-16 will resume tomorrow morning.