WSL Championship Tour kicks off today at Pipeline

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
A surfer is nearly swallowed by whitewater from the closeout of a large wave at Banzai Pipeline, Jan. 2, on Oahu’s North Shore. The first event in the World Surf League’s Championship Tour kicks off today at Pipeline.
The first event in the World Surf League’s Championship Tour kicks off today at Pipeline.
Conditions for the Billabong Pro Pipeline, the holding period for which started Sunday, finally turned favorable this morning, with almost no wind and head-high and overhead sets.
In a competition to look forward to, the twelfth heat of the first round will pit the North Shore’s John John Florence against Gabriel Medina, from Brazil, and Leonardo Fioravanti, from Italy.