What's the forecast? All eyes on Pipe

Joel Parkinson © ASP/Kirstin

Billabong Pipe Masters

ASP Men's World Tour Event
Banzai Pipeline, North Shore Oahu
8 - 20 December 2012

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Parko could win his first ASP World Title during Billabong Pipe Masters

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 December, 2012 : - - The 2012 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing wrapped up the second jewel of the coveted ASP Specialty Series yesterday and a new swell is lining up to ignite Pipeline on the opening days of the Billabong Pipe Masters waiting period. Surfline, official forecasters for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing gave a detailed breakdown on what to expect on the opening days of Pipeline.

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A good size WNW shifting NW swell is lining up for the beginning of the Pipe waiting period: building through the day on Saturday, strongest Sunday, and fading Monday. Looking further out, another WNW swell is possible around the 14th-15th.

SWELL/SURF SUMMARY We’ll closely watch a storm that is just now starting to take form 1200 miles east of Japan. This storm is forecast to move toward Hawaii for the next 24-36 hours, before a second area of low pressure develops to the north-northwest of Hawaii by Thursday.

The combination of these two fetches will set up a WNW (290-310) shifting NW swell (320-335) for the first couple days of the Pipewaiting period. If these developing storms behave as forecast we’ll see a building trend of surf all day on Saturday, a peak in swell on Sunday, and fading surf Monday. During the peak of the swell on Sunday Pipe/Backdoor will see solid 8-10-12’+ faces, with a good chance for larger waves. Stay tuned, we’ll continue to refine this forecast as we see the storms evolve over the next few days.

Fading and/or smaller surf will take over for the 11th-13th, with potential for another decent shot of WNW swell around the 14th-15th.

WIND/WEATHER SUMMARY Light to possibly moderate easterly trades develop for the weekend of the 8th-9th and potentially strengthen for the following week.

The Billabong Pipe Masters holds a waiting period from December 8-20 and is webcast LIVE.

Heading into the 2012 Billabong Pipe Masters, three surfers remain mathematically in contention for the 2012 ASP World Title: Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, Kelly Slater (USA), 40, and Mick Fanning (AUS), 31. All three surfers will automatically be seeded into Round 3 of competition and finish no worse than Equal 13th (1750 points).

ASP WCT surfers’ year-end rankings are based off their top eight finishes from the 10 ASP WCT events in 2012. Parkinson is the current rankings leader and the following ASP World Title scenarios are based on his potential finishes at Pipeline.

If Parkinson finishes 13th, 9th or 5th at the Billabong Pipe Masters:
Slater needs a 5th or higher to take the 2012 ASP World Title.
Fanning needs to win at Pipeline to take the 2012 ASP World Title. (*Contingent upon Slater finishing 5th or Lower at Pipeline.)

If Parkinson finishes Equal 3rd at the Billabong Pipe Masters:
Slater needs a 3rd or higher to take the 2012 ASP World Title.
Fanning needs to win at Pipeline to take the 2012 ASP World Title. (*Contingent upon Slater finishing 5th or Lower at Pipeline.)

If Parkinson finishes 2nd at the Billabong Pipe Masters:
Slater needs to win at Pipeline to take the 2012 ASP World Title.
Fanning cannot win the 2012 ASP World Title.

If Parkinson wins the Billabong Pipe Masters, he will take the 2012 ASP World Title.

The Billabong Pipe Masters, the third jewel of the Vans Hawaiian Triple Crown of Surfing, will be run from December 8 – 20, 2012.

Billabong Pipe Masters Champions
2011 - Kieren Perrow, Australia
2010 - Jeremy Flores, France
2009 - Taj Burrow, Australia
2008 - Kelly Slater, USA
2007 - Bede Durbidge, Australia
2006 - Andy Irons, Hawaii 
2005 - Andy Irons, Hawaii 
2004 - Jamie O’Brien, Hawaii 
2003 - Andy Irons, Hawaii 
2002 - Andy Irons, Hawaii 
2001 - Bruce Irons, Hawaii 
2000 - Rob Machado, USA 
1999 - Kelly Slater, USA
1998 - Jake Paterson, Australia 
1997 - John Gomes, Hawaii
1996 - Kelly Slater, USA 
1995 - Kelly Slater, USA
1994 - Kelly Slater, USA 
1993 - Derek Ho, Hawaii 
1992 - Kelly Slater, USA
1991 - Tom Carroll, Australia 
1990 - Tom Carroll, Australia 
1989 - Gary Elkerton, Australia
1988 - Rob Page, Australia 
1987 - Tom Carroll, Australia 
1986 - Derek Ho, Hawaii
1985 - Mark Occhilupo, Australia
1984 - Joey Buran, USA
1983 - Dane Kealoha, Hawaii 
1982 - Michael Ho, Hawaii 
1981 - Simon Anderson, Australia 
1980 - Mark Richards, Australia 
1979 - Larry Blair, Australia 
1978 - Larry Blair, Australia 
1977 - Rory Russell, Hawaii
1976 - Rory Russell, Hawaii 
1975 - Shaun Tomson, South Africa
1974 - Jeff Crawford, USA 
1973 - Gerry Lopez, Hawaii
1972 - Gerry Lopez, Hawaii 
1971 - Jeff Hakman, Hawaii