Pipeline offers up some beatings on a solid swell at HIC Pro

"There was more bloodshed and hold-downs at Pipeline than a UFC match today (06th Feb 09) as 56 of Hawaii's best Pipeline surfers put it all on the line at the HIC Pipeline Pro in a bid to secure a place in December's prestigious Pipeline Masters.

Pounding waves of up to 15 feet well and truly lived up to Pipeline's fearsome reputation and by 5 p.m., eight surfers had sealed the deal. But not all were left standing. Oahu's Jonah Morgan (Haleiwa), Flynn Novak (Haleiwa), Liam McNamara (Haleiwa), and Mason Ho (Haleiwa); Maui's Hank Gaskell (Hana) and Dusty Payne (Lahaina); and Kauai's Gavin Gillette (Kilauea) and Sion Milosky all won Pipeline Masters berths.



Novak, 25, suffered the worst of the top eight, literally putting his life on the line in a list ditch effort to qualify. He wound up being shipped to shore in a rescue by the Water Patrol jetski with a head and lower back injury that knocked the air out of him for a good 15 minutes. While he eventually left the beach under his own power, the injury was bad enough to require stitches and prevent him from flying to Brazil this evening for a World Tour competition."

www.asphawaii.org