XBOX GERRY LOPEZ PIPELINE MASTERS

Brilliant Barrel-Riding (Con't)

They took to the water again in the last heat of the day - heat four of round three, and there was no let-up. Pacheco posted the second perfect 10 wave score of the day as well as a 9.0 (19.0 total) and Irons worked just as hard for two awesome tube rides that scored 9.5 and 8.25 (17.75 total).

"I thought I wasn't going to make it because I fell on the one before that," said Pacheco of his perfect 10 tube. "But my board held on. It feels like everything's just spinning around you and right when you think you're not going to make it, it spits you out."

Irons was similarly thrilled with the heat and the level of surfing he and Brian are enjoying. "Pipeline with only three other guys out is incredible," said Irons. "I've surfed with Brian my whole life, he's a childhood friend so it was a blast out there, trading off waves. I'm really glad the title's sewn up and I don't have to stress about it. I'm feeling really good right now and this is all extra. It's a bonus."

With two surfers advancing together through the four-man heats, it is possible that Irons and Pacheco can take it all the way to the final together.

"Brian's pushing me 110 per cent, for sure. Every heat I think I've just barely squeaked in behind him, so I'm really playing catch-up with him, he's surfing so well. The way things are going, we've got a good momentum and we're feeding off each other and hopefully we can take the other two out all the way to the final."

Heats 12 through 16 of round one, all eight heats of round two, and the first four of eight round three heats were run today. Organizers expect the final day of competition to get underway at 8am tomorrow morning, and the anticipation is already building. The first heat to hit the water will be the round three clash of 5-time Pipe Master Kelly Slater (USA), defending Pipe Master Bruce Irons (Hawaii), world number two Luke Egan (Australia), and Californian big-wave charger Taylor Knox.