Florence Pipe Pro 2025: A Gripping Start at Pipeline – Day 1 Drama and Day 2 Standby
Hey surf fans, welcome back to the blog! The Florence Pipe Pro Presented by HTA kicked off this week at the iconic Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore, marking the return of a QS 2,000 event to Pipe since 2021. Sponsored by the Florence family brand (shoutout to John John, Nathan, and Ivan for keeping it local and legendary), this men's and women's comp is the finale of the Hawaiʻi/Tahiti Nui Qualifying Series, with spots on the 2026 Challenger Series up for grabs. The field is stacked with Pipeline specialists, CT vets, and hungry groms – think short 22-minute heats in the Round of 128 for the men, single elimination, no mercy.
With a window from Dec 10-20, the forecast promised swell, but Mother Ocean had other ideas. Let's break down the two days so far: epic action on Day 1, followed by a frustrating lay day on Day 2. I'll hit the highest wave scores, key heat results, favorites who punched their tickets (and those who didn't), and the big storylines.
Day 1: Backdoor Barrels, Broken Boards, and Redemption Rides (Dec 10)
Conditions were prime for the opener – glassy, offshore mornings with building 8-12 foot faces at Pipeline and Backdoor. The men's Round of 128 fired off Heats 1-10 before disruptive winds shut things down. No women's action yet (called off for the day). The short heats kept the pressure on, leading to broken boards, near-upsets, and some all-time tubes. Total advancers from Day 1: 20 surfers into the Round of 96.
Highest Wave Scores of the Day
- 9.70 by Lucas Godfrey (HAW): The ride of the day – a multi-chambered Backdoor beauty that had everyone losing it. Coming back from a broken back earlier this year, Godfrey's near-perfect score was pure redemption.
- 8.83 by Jamie O'Brien (HAW): Vintage JOB – slouching out of an 8-foot Backdoor barrel like it was a casual sesh. Paired with another solid wave for the day's best heat total (16.33).
- 8.83 by Nathan Florence (HAW): After snapping his board early in the heat, Nathan hunted the inside reef for this subterranean Backdoor gem to steal the win.
These scores highlight why Pipe is the proving ground – patience and positioning pay off big.
Key Heat Results & Advancers
Here's the rundown of completed heats (top two advance):
| Heat | Winner (Total Score) | Runner-Up (Total Score) | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dusty Payne (HAW) - 7.63 | Noah Abril (HAW) - 2.33 | Former CTer Payne grinds out a win in low scores; Love Hodel (0.80) and Idren Sardinha (1.83) out. |
| 2 | Eli Olson (HAW) - 8.17 | Pax Tybuszewski (USA) - 6.20 | Local Olson edges it; Waimea Star (6.16) just misses, Zac Hedemann (2.13) eliminated. |
| 3 | Nathan Florence (HAW) - 12.83 | Kainehe Hunt (HAW) - 12.17 | Nail-biter! Nathan's late 8.83 saves him after board snap; Kaiwi Berry (11.13) agonizingly close. |
| 4 | Kalani Rivero (HAW) - 11.16 | Makana Pang (HAW) - 9.17 | Rivero dominates; Ari Kakitsis (8.57) falls short. |
| 5 | Gregg Nakamura (HAW) - 6.93 | Kaden Russi (HAW) - 6.67 | Tight local battle; another heat decided by under 0.3 points. |
| 6 | Nolan Senn (HAW) - 5.40 | Jeronimo Vargas (BRA) - 4.46 | Low-scoring scrap; Haven Hodel and Alex Cox ousted. |
| 7 | Jamie O'Brien (HAW) - 16.33 | Kala Grace (HAW) - 7.50 | JOB's masterclass; Grace sneaks second on draining lefts. |
| 8 | Lucas Godfrey (HAW) - 14.53 | Ryder Guest (HAW) - 6.50 | Godfrey's 9.70 shines; Torrey Meister (6.24, a Pipe charger) upset elimination. |
| 9 | Jake Maki (HAW) - 7.50 | Sheldon Paishon (HAW) - 5.00 | Maki holds off the field; Keola Carreira out. |
| 10 | Niko Fernandez (HAW) - 7.06 | Jesse Johnson (USA) - 6.90 | Photo-finish; Zach Newton (6.70) misses by a hair. |
Favorites Who Made It Through (and Who Didn't)
- Made It: Nathan Florence (event co-sponsor, +500 odds pre-event) claws back for the win – family affair vibes strong. Jamie O'Brien (Pipe Master 2004, wild card entry) reminds everyone why he's the Backdoor king. Dusty Payne (ex-CT) and Eli Olson (local ripper) build momentum. Lucas Godfrey's comeback is the feel-good story.
- Didn't: Torrey Meister (Pipe specialist, expected to charge) bows out in Heat 8 – big upset. Zac Hedemann (North Shore regular) and Ari Kakitsis fall short in tight ones. Kaiwi Berry's 11.13 total was heat-high but not enough against Nathan's surge.
Storylines? Broken boards (Nathan's snap had him in last with 5 minutes left), huge wipeouts, and Backdoor delivering dream waves amid Pipe's heaviness. Local standouts stole the show, with 18 of 20 advancers from Hawaiʻi. Winds killed the vibe by midday, but what a morning!
Day 2: Winds Whip Up, Action on Hold (Dec 11)
Bummer alert – Day 2 got called off early due to a strong NW front rolling in, turning the North Shore stormy with choppy, unsurfable waves. No heats run; men's Heat 11 (featuring favorite Mason Ho vs. Angel Jardine, Paumalu Malone, Joey Johnston) and the women's Round of 32 are queued up. Billy Kemper (WSL liaison and dark-horse pick at +4,000) summed it: "Waves are pretty terrible... stay safe."
No scores or eliminations today, but the standby builds tension. Favorites like Mason Ho (CT vet, Pipe maestro), Ivan Florence (+500 odds, Nathan's brother), Koa Rothman, and Koa Smith are itching to hit the water in Heats 11-16. Upsets? None yet, but expect some if conditions stay marginal.
Next call: Dec 12 at 7 a.m. HST for an 8 a.m. start. With swell on tap later in the week, this comp could go deep into the window.
Quick Hits & What's Next
- Overall Vibe: Day 1 was a banger – high scores, drama, and that Pipeline magic. Day 2? A reset button.
- QS Implications: Top finishes here lock Challenger Series berths. Keep an eye on the Florence brothers for a podium sweep.
- Watch It: Catch replays and live action on WorldSurfLeague.com or the WSL app. Highlights dropping soon.