Ke11y's world title number 11 is done and dusted. Urban beachbreaks, all done. The ASP world tour is back to basics. Back to the most respected wave in the world. "I actually like that the World Title has already been decided, because now it's all about Pipe," explains former Triple Crown winner Parko. "It's the biggest contest in the world and it's good that everyone is here with the one goal -- to win Pipe."
THE SURF: RIGHT OR LEFT?
With a solid, long-period NW groundswell on the way, this could be an actual real debate this year. "Backdoor is known for getting higher scores, mainly because every tube is deep and a lot longer than Pipe," says Taj. "It's hard to get a big score going left unless you get really caved. If you get a big score at Pipe you know you've earned it." Bede agrees: "Definitely Backdoor scores higher. Where the judges' tower is set up looks straight into the left and the rights run off down the beach, so it always looks like you're deeper than you are if you go Backdoor." Parko brings up another key point: "But it's the swell direction that will dictate whether Pipe or Backdoor will score higher -- not the judges."
