On Friday, Ehukai Beach Park was once again the hot spot for the Pipeline Challenge 2023. Pipeline has not shown its teeth for a while now due to lots of sand build up, so Ehukai was the site of a full day of competition for Women’s Bodyboarding and the Dropknee divisions.
Surf was a bit bigger on the second day of competition with a new swell sweeping into the break of about 2-4 feet. Conditions much improved also for the athletes and waves were very consistent.
In the Dropknee division Sammy Morretino got the drop on Dave Hubbard. Just one point separated the two Hawaiian shredders. Morretino won with a 12.34 points total and Hubbard, right behind, scored 11.34 pts.
On the ladies side, Brazilian Neymara Carvalho placed first, with a 11.77 total score. Carvalho has been bodyboarding in the competition since the third year and is a former winner. “Really happy to win in Hawaii, it will be always very special. Thank you all for the support”, wrote the champ later on social media.
In second come Sari Ohhara from Japan. The former world champion is no stranger to Pipeline. There has always been a strong contingent of Japanese women bodyboarders charging the Banzai. Both pulled off double spins and completed el rollos to score. Some of the rotations were done right into the sand, a very dangerous point getter!
One more division is slated to finish by March 9th, the end of the waiting period, the Mens Pro. There is a swell slated to arrive the 8th that has some size and the event is most likely to finish up on that bigger swell.
Dropknee results:
01.Sammy Morretino (Hawaii) 12.34
02. David Hubbard (Hawaii) 11.34
03. Justin Cadiente (Hawaii) 9.00
04. Mack Crilley (Hawaii) 8.43
Women’s Pro results:
01. Neymara Carvalho (Brazil) 11.77
02. Sari Ohhara (Japan) 10.74
03. Ayaka Suzuki Crilley (Japan) 9.44
04. Jessica Becker (Brazil) 7.00
