Surf Girls Hawai'i (2023): Season 1, Episode 4 - Power of Pipeline - full transcript
(waves crashing)
(high-intensity rock music)
Pipeline was a wave that people
once thought was not surfable.
(music continues)
It is one of the most dangerous
waves on the planet.
We've seen more deaths at this break
than any other surf spot in the world.
Pipe is like the highest peak
that you can reach as a surfer.
The next contest is the Vans Pipe Masters.
This is the most iconic
surf contest in the world.
If you wanna be the best surfer in the
world, you need to master Pipeline.
If you don't master Pipeline,
you're not the best surfer in the world.
- (waves crashing)
- (music crescendos)
(upbeat music)
Pipe is looking not so good right now,
but this wave can change so fast.
All we can do is just be hopeful and start
manifesting positivity towards the ocean.
The Vans Pipe Masters is
an invitation only event.
It doesn't count towards any points,
but there's a big prize purse of $100,000.
That's a lot of money.
It's prestigious, it's epic.
[announcer] Moana Jones
Wong has just won Pipeline!
[Moana] This time last year
I won the first ever
major woman's contest at Pipeline.
I wanna win again.
I'm gonna meditate a lot and feel.
Calm.
Because Pipeline is not calm.
Pipeline is always chaos.
- (waves crashing)
- (upbeat music)
So normally when you surf Pipe
you're battling with about 100 people.
But when you're
in a contest out at Pipe
and there's just three
other people out there,
there's nobody paddling for your waves.
There's nobody in your way.
You don't have to worry about like
maneuvering around tons of people.
It's just like it's the best thing ever.
I love surfing out there in a heat.
I know that I have the most experience
out of every girl out there.
But that's not how it works.
You can be the best surfer in the world
and Pipe will show
you who's boss really fast.
(upbeat music)
I got invited as the first alternate
for the Vans Pipe Masters contest.
But, Pipeline's a very dangerous wave.
I just don't really go out there.
But when I do, I'll be out
there for like three hours
and not catch a single wave.
I don't wanna go out to a
contest and not perform well.
I wanna make sure that I'm ready and like
I don't know if I am.
(waves roaring)
(birds chirping)
I definitely do have days
where I question
if I want to continue
to compete in surfing
because the pressure just
takes away the love for it.
[Koral] That smile across your face.
Auntie Koral is like
a second mama to me.
She's just very wise,
and she's experienced so much in life
and has so much knowledge
to give and share.
[Koral] Why do you look so solemn?
[chuckles]
Hella... was just like...
- Rough day.
- Rough day for sure and like you know,
the heat and how I like
surfed terribly and embarrassed myself.
I think like sitting down and
like thinking about like
is this what I want to do is kind of, the
question that's running through my mind.
So, what's the overall goal?
Go around the world and
like connect with cultures.
Competing is the harder part for me.
I just feel like every time I put a jersey
on with pressure or without pressure,
it's like I'm not showing
my best performance.
[Koral] Huh. You grew up loving surfing
'cause it's so fun.
- Yeah.
- And the ideal goal
is to do what you love as your job, but
it is hard. Do whatever brings you joy.
And if you love competing, compete.
If you don't, keep surfing
as a part of your life
that brings you joy.
It's just making sure you're
loving it along the way
and you don't lose touch with
that fine joy it brings you.
(gentle music)
I definitely underestimate myself
and that's why I think I have bad heats.
I need to be working on my mental health.
You know, go back to the root of my
11 year old self and my love for surfing
because I do love it
at the end of the day.
(music continues)
- [Maluhia] When do you graduate?
- [Ēwe] Uh, May.
- Just a little bit.
- [Ēwe] Almost there.
You're in the home stretch.
I'm stoked for you.
Thank you. Kind of gonna take the
next year to just experiment
- even with my competitive surfing and...
- [Maluhia] Yeah
- And then life in general.
- Yeah.
[Maluhia] Are you on the
wild card for Pipeline?
I got an invitation as first alternate
but I turned it down
just because I personally don't think
that I am ready to surf Pipeline.
That wave is so, has so much mana
you gotta be like 150%.
It's a huge safety thing
if you're not ready.
And I don't want to be like tentative at
Pipeline just 'cause I'm scared to like...
- Yeah
- Get hurt.
I'm proud of you. I think that's a really
good decision for yourself.
- Thank you.
- [both] Yeah.
- [gentle music]
- A lot of people get really hurt at Pipe.
Like you should know what you're doing
if you're going out there.
And I don't think that I am
ready this year to surf Pipe.
I'm hoping that this year I learn the wave
and just like get better at barrel riding.
I see a lot of growth.
I think you're gonna like
just have the coolest trajectory to watch.
I'm super excited.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Well I'm very lucky to have
you as a great role model.
Yeah. And I'm very lucky
just to have you as a friend, like.
- [Ēwe] Yes. Definitely.
- Badass.
(upbeat music)
(music intensifies)
[Pua] The Vans Pipe Masters
is my last event of this year.
I just really want to push myself.
And so I'm gonna work hard to do my best
and overcome some of my fears.
[Megan] Bop bop bop, good.
Breathe now.
Blow with your teeth. Shh.
So you hear it.
- [Pua] Shh shh shh shh.
- [Megan] There you go.
Pipe requires you to be mentally strong,
and physically strong.
It's a strong current.
You gotta be able to kick and scratch for
that wave and commit down that face.
You know when you're paddling out at Pipe,
that's how you should be breathing like...
Like (sucks teeth)
- Filling up those lungs with air,
- Yeah
filling up your stomach,
diaphragm with air.
(Pua breathing loudly)
- [Megan] There you go.
- (Pua breathing loudly)
- Attagirl, good job. Break. 30 seconds.
- What are you nervous about?
- My emotions for this event.
- Nervous. Scared.
- Your dad knows what's best for you.
Like no matter what I'm gonna
have the feelings but just like...
- breathing through it I guess and...
- Exactly and that's why we box,
is to let out that aggression
and your nervousness
but breathing through it. 'Cause no
matter what, it's gonna be there.
So where's the,
what's your doubt then?
[high pitched] I dunno
- You're prepared, it's just...
- [Pua] Yeah, I'm prepared.
- It's just my mind.
- It's your mind.
I mean that's where it all
starts mentally, right?
- Yeah.
- Telling yourself that you can.
You are your own worst
enemy and best friend.
Confidence is what you need
to to do anything, right?
- [Pua] Yeah.
- [Megan] But especially surf at Pipe.
- Right?
- Yeah.
And I fully have moments
where I'm just like...
(dramatic music bellows)
Can I even do this?
And it's like yeah you can.
- It excites me.
- [Megan] Give it all, come on.
- (upbeat music)
- (boxing gloves thudding)
What you gonna do? (groans)
Ah! Go knock 'em out.
I think put with her mindset
of how much she wants it
and how hungry she is and
how much I see it in her.
- I think she's ready for Pipe.
- (dramatic music swells)
- (music fades)
- (waves crash)
[Brianna] The waves look super fun.
[Maluhia] I thought it was
gonna be pretty small today.
- [Brianna] Yeah
- I was trying to remember,
when was the first time
you surfed up here?
I was here with Uncle Max and I was like
"I don't wanna go out, it's too big."
I'll never forget this. And then I see
you walking out with your dad.
He said "They're going",
and I'm like "So, what does that mean?"
So then I ended up going and
then the rest is history.
- (both laughing)
- (uplifitng music)
Malu is the funnest person to call for
big waves because she's like not afraid.
Like she just pumps me up.
And I remember last year we were
towing in together and I was like
"I don't wanna go out here."
And she's like, "We got this".
She's just down.
She's just a powerful warrior.
How's your knee feeling?
Ooh I can walk on my
leg now, which is good.
- Are you doing PT?
- Yes.
Nice. That will help in like
the more you can push it
- and get it ready to surf Pipe.
- Yeah.
- (Brianna laughing)
- Frick, I really wanna surf Pipe.
- [Brianna] I think you're gonna be good.
- I've always been drawn to Pipeline.
That wave has so much
mana and so much power.
If you are able to master
that and match that mana,
it's like the ultimate feeling as a
surfer and the only reason that I surf.
I'm really going with the flow,
and I'm like,
"hey if that's my (speaking Hawaiian),
then that's where I'll go."
- Yeah.
- But trying not to force it.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm an alternate for the Vans Pipe
Masters, so I just have to wait and see.
If Maluhia, she doesn't feel better,
then I'll take that spot.
But, she's a friend,
so I want her to do the contest
but make the right decision for herself.
- [Maluhia] Love you bra.
- [Brianna] Love you too.
(upbeat music)
40 Of you men, 20 of
you ladies get to compete.
Great to see you welcoming people from
Australia, Tahiti, Brazil,
Hawaii of course. And the United States.
We'll let the rest take it away.
Have a great night.
All right, thank you.
So we're gonna draw
your names, call you up,
and you get to put your name
anywhere on any heat.
- (crowd cheering)
- [Moana] Shoot.
- I don't know which heat I wanna be in.
- You guys are making me nervous.
I am so stressed out.
[Moana] For every other contest,
your heat is assigned to you.
Picking your own heat is
nerve-wracking and scary.
- [Mahina] Bettylou Sakura Johnson.
- (crowd cheers)
- [Mahina] Bettylou!
- It's a pretty big deal to be invited
to the Vans Pipe Masters.
I mean 20 people out of the whole world.
- [Steve] Pua Desoto.
- Ah!
- Heat four, yeah?
- [Moana] What are you gonna do?
- [Pua] I wanna be in your heat.
- (upbeat music)
- (crowd applauding)
- [Mahina] Thank you.
- [Steve] Moana Jones Wong.
- Oh I'm up, I'm finally up.
- (crowd cheering)
- Ah!
- [Mahina] It's official.
- [Steve] All right, heat four.
[Mahina] Women's heat
four is now completed.
Pua Desoto. Moana Jones Wong.
Molly Picklum ans Sierra Kerr.
- [Maluhia] I would wanna be in your heat.
- (crowd applauding)
- [Mahina] Maluhia Kinimaka.
- (crowd cheers)
Uh, I blew my knee out so I have to
withdraw. But I have the alternate's card.
[Mahina] Oh okay.
So we have a withdrawal for a knee injury
and we have the alternate.
- [Maluhia] Yeah, Brianna Cope.
- (crowd applauding)
It's kind of hard when you're training
so vehemently for so long
and then suddenly it's like,
okay Mal, you just gotta take a break.
Like, you just gotta be okay
with being not okay for a little bit.
[Mahina] And that completes our women's
heats one through five. Thank you ladies.
- [Pua] I love you.
- (crowd applauding)
[Maluhia]
It's like just such a gift. (sighs)
And you know when you just get the best
present in the whole world and you're like
"Ah I can't accept this".
Like it's really hard.
I know deep down in my heart
that I'll surf Pipeline whether
it's in a contest or not.
And I'm gonna get that wave.
- Just put her on speaker.
- Okay. Speaker.
- Oh there you are. Hello!
- Ah!
[Brianna] I left my grandma's house
to get on the phone with you guys.
What's the news?
[Maluhia] Guess what, bra?
You're in the Pipe Masters.
- [Moana] You're in.
- [Brianna] What?
- Yeah.
- You got in, 'sista.
I'm like kinda bummed though
cause like honestly
I was like maybe thinking Mal
was gonna (indistinct) I'm like okay.
- [Maluhia] No, no I cannot.
- [Moana] Wave's gonna be like 25 feet.
[Maluhia] I know I cannot.
I'm going to break my legs.
[Brianna] Oh God.
- (rock music)
- The opportunity to surf Pipe is unreal.
It's like dream come true.
We're gonna get barreled
and we're gonna have fun
and we're gonna be with our friends.
[Maluhia] So I think
you're in heat three, yeah?
- [Moana] You're heat three.
- [Brianna] Seriously?
Even though I'm not gonna get to surf,
I'm really happy to see like Brianna go
and and give her best crack at it.
Congrats.
(upbeat music)
Work beats talent when
talent doesn't work hard.
And I think that's what got
me to where I am in my career.
I really, really believe in hard work.
To the top!
Let's go!
(intense music)
I'm super excited for this opportunity.
Every time you can go
out and surf Pipeline
with three other females is amazing,
but Pipeline is the most
dangerous wave on the planet.
And the consequences are super high.
Moana really dedicated her
life to surfing Pipeline.
And like Moana's pushing
people on bigger waves.
Everyone's elevating everyone.
So I feel like it's just
fired me up even more.
(music continues)
I feel like I showed up with my briefcase
and I'm ready to work.
So like let's go.
(buoyant music)
[Kiana] Okay. 1, 2, 3.
Pipe is like my dream wave.
This is like my special place.
I think like every Pipe contest is just
so emotional for some reason.
I don't know why.
It is, it's just Pipeline
in general I think.
Yeah.
The only person that I could talk about
like really personal things with, was you.
- Yeah.
- When I started doing good at surfing and
I was like, you know, kind of on top
I felt like everybody was like
- "Oh she's so lucky", like.
- Yeah.
Like I felt like a lot of people thought
I didn't deserve that.
Social media...
Effs everything up.
Yeah social media... Like so many people
were like attacking me
and little did they know like
how much I was struggling.
- And I'm just like,
- Ridiculous.
I think I just let that all get to my
head. Then I just felt like I was like
at the bottom of the ocean like drowning.
It's just crazy 'cause
you were doing so good
at the time like in front
of everybody else's eyes.
- Yeah
- But like behind the scenes it's like
"I just went home and
I'm just like so bummed'.
Yeah.
I think a lot of people struggle with
not believing in themselves.
Being an athlete is not fun at times.
It really messes with your
head, it messes with your mood.
It just like takes you on this crazy
roller coaster ride of emotions.
I really feel like Pipeline
lifted me to my feet and like
gave me everything I've ever wanted and
could ever dream about and more.
I wouldn't be the person I am
at all right now without this wave.
It just feels like it's not even a wave.
It feels like it's alive, you know.
- Woo! Goosebumps with my hair.
- (Moana laughing)
I'm serious!
I mean I'm excited for you.
And the funny thing is you're more excited
than you are scared or anything.
- I'm scared that I'm so excited though.
- (waves lapping the shore)
(enchanting music)
(conch shells honking)
(ethereal music)
[Pau] My family has done opening and
closing ceremonies for the events.
It's just really special.
All of the surfers competing in the event,
surfers who aren't competing
come join us over here.
We're gonna be offering
(speaking in Hawaiian)
or gifts of offering that we prepared
for our ancestors and our
(speaking in Hawaiian) and the ocean.
(singing in foreign language)
(enchanting music)
(waves lapping on the shore)
[Pua] The blessing does connect me
a little bit more to the ocean
um, but I think like even with that
there's still more connecting to do.
(waves crashing)
My family does so much for me.
There's a lot of sacrifice.
I know it and I feel it.
I really want to make them proud of me.
(music fades)
(upbeat music)
[announcer] Welcome to the Pipeline.
We are excited to kick off the women's
portion of the Vans Pipe Masters.
(upbeat music continues)
Women surfing at Pipe
competitively is pretty new.
There's so much talent here today.
We have men and women
in the same conditions.
It's never really been something
that has been done at Pipe in competition.
I think it's gonna be pretty historical
in terms of women surfing at Pipeline.
And so I'm making all my friends
these little things called
(speaking in Hawaiian).
They're like just little
pieces of ti leaf that are spun
together and they're like
a symbol of protection.
Because I think a lot of them are pretty
nervous right now and rightfully so.
We had a very challenging surf forecast
for this event period.
So we have these shifting winds,
it makes the waves a little bit fluffy.
It makes them, the barrel not so open.
And when you couple that
with a peaking swell
of about 12 to 15 feet or 30 foot faces.
It's radical.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic music bellows)
[Christina]
It looks good out there for you.
I just wanna get a mental one.
Just one good wave.
Yeah.
I think everyone's really
nervous and high energy because
it's bombing out there. It's dangerous.
We're seeing the men get hurt and
it's definitely a day of high consequence.
(waves roaring)
Even just a few years ago they wouldn't
have put the women out in this condition.
So I think it's gonna push a lot of us.
It's gonna uplift a lot of us,
and it's gonna inspire a lot of us.
(intense music)
(waves roaring)
- Looks really gnarly. Sketchy, heavy.
- Yeah. Yeah. I would be scared.
Yeah, I'd be scared
watching you out there.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic music bellows)
- And you'll believe in yourself-
- Yep.
- Okay?
- [Brianna] Maluhia made me this.
Aw.
- [Brianna] Love you guys.
- (indistinct chatter)
All right Brianna, get it.
[announcer] 20 women, and the unique
thing about this year's scoring is
competitors keep their scores in both
round one and round two.
And then we'll look for the top four
for the ultimate final.
For this competition, they're looking
for a combination of things.
They're looking for barrels,
they're looking for airs and
they're looking for turns.
Instead of scoring it
from a 1 to 10 scale,
they're scoring it from 1 to 30.
30 being the excellent score.
(horn blowing)
[announcer] Sound of the horn,
heat three is on.
[announcer 2] Here we go, we got some
takers both on the left and the right.
(crowd yelling)
That's okay, she got a spot, got a wave.
[announcer] We've got wave scores, Rock.
Here we go.
Brianna Cope in the orange jersey.
A 2.7 out of a possible 30.
[announcer 2] That is blue
Bettylou Sakura Johnson,
"Shreddylou" in the barrel
coming out, and she does!
[announcer] Out of a possible 30,
scores a 24.0!
Surfer in white, Caitlin Simmers stalling,
covered, barrel, there she is!
Score that for the young 15 year old.
A 21.5 out of a possible 30.
[announcer 2]
Yeah and with that wave she moves up
to number two behind Carissa Moore.
- [Christina] Go Bri. Go, go, go.
- (unintelligible chatter)
[announcer 2] Uh, in red, Brianna Cope.
[announcer] Brianna with
a carve on the forehead.
Time straightens out a big
wall of water right there.
Probably a good idea not to attempt much
in that very shallow section here.
- [announcer] 3, 2, 1.
- (horn blows)
Sound of the horn ends heat number three.
(upbeat music)
[Christina] She's coming
in with a smile on her face.
- She has a fan.
- [Christina] Yeah she does.
[Gabi] Yeah, she's like
everybody's favorite.
I kind of want to go fan girl her too.
You survived, are you kidding me?
- I'm so proud of you.
- I felt kinda confident on the last one,
I was hoping I was gonna barrel.
It was actually super fun.
Just to get the like nerves out.
'Cause I was super scared before so
just to get a couple waves, I had fun.
Time to get ready to get
bigger scores tomorrow.
That's just a warmup heat.
(music crescendos)
Aw, you're the sweetest.
They're so cute.
I know they're little.
I was like there's no way
I'm gonna let them go out
there right now without them.
- (waves booming)
- [Maluhia] That's scary.
I'm like so nervous and so excited,
so jittery and so ah!
I bet once you go, once you
go you'll be fine, you know?
I think so too.
I think once I like get wet, and just.
(waves crashing in distance)
- Love you.
- Love you too.
- (unintelligible announcer chatter)
- (someone whistles)
Everybody in this contest is nervous so.
That's okay to be nervous.
(crowd cheering)
Proud of you.
Super excited that she's
following in my footsteps
and really wants me there with her.
I mean that's, it's a gift. My daughter's
17 years old and coming out to Pipe.
That's amazing.
Have fun.
(gentle music)
I don't want her to get hurt.
So I want her to just go out there and...
keep her safety as a priority.
That's more important than
anything else right now.
(intense music)
[Pua] I think I'm gonna have
to get my jitters off early.
So even if it's a small wave, just go and
get that off and then just keep surfing.
(intense music)
Now that I see the conditions,
it's like pretty dangerous.
So I think going out
there not having surfed
or having the right
training for five weeks
would've just been the
stupidest thing I've ever done.
(horn blows)
[announcer] Alright let's go!
Round 1 Heat 4.
[announcer 2] This is a heat.
This is quite the heat.
[announcer 3] This could be an iconic
day, uh, for women's surfing.
- Oh stand by.
- (crowd murmuring)
- [announcer] Moana attacking it.
- (intense chanting music)
Oh that was heavy.
[announcer 2] Just a little too deep
but man, what an incredible job charging.
- (water rushing)
- (intense music)
- [announcer] Is Moana okay?
- [announcer 2] She hasn't paddled yet.
You see the water patrol
coming in to check on her.
Saw her sort of shake
her head a little bit.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic bellow)
- Ah, geez. I think she hurt herself.
- Yeah it looks like it.
[Maluhia] Pipeline is incredibly dangerous
because if you fall in the impact zone
or if you're getting cleaned
out by a wave after you've fallen
it's maybe two feet on a hard stabby reef.
It's scary.
[announcer] That end section
is just so shallow and it sucks so dry.
Yeah she might have hit the bottom.
The queen of Pipeline.
- (solemn piano music)
- (waves crashing)
She pulled in, she was
traveling in the barrel
and it just was kind of going too quick
so it kind of clamped down on her.
And all that water and all that force.
It can kind of compression stun you.
That was a pretty solid wave.
So she probably got rattled.
[announcer 3] 11.3 out of a possible 30.
Well Moana Jones Wong has now
moved up into the top four.
[announcer] Pua still looking for her
first wave as she remains in last place.
[Duane] Oh boy.
[announcer 2] With 3:40 to go
should have enough time to get one and
maybe get one back out there.
[announcer] Puamakamae not
with the wave score right now,
but the young 17 year old...
She could catch a wave and
move up in the second place
even into first place,
because of the 30 points possible.
Time check. 50 seconds remaining.
50 seconds counting down.
[Duane] Ah man.
(music intensifies)
[announcer] Here's the
countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
(horn blowing)
Sound of the horn rounds out heat four
of the women's round one.
- She tried.
- (crowd muttering)
(crowd cheering)
- [Pua] I really wanted to get one.
- Next time.
[Pua] My score at the end
of this heat was solid zero.
I did not catch one wave.
And I actually missed two
really good waves in the beginning.
I was like waiting for that one.
And in 30 minutes sometimes
that one doesn't come.
And so I think, you know, remembering that
going into my next heat is just surf.
It's all right.
Reset for tomorrow, yeah?
It literally feels like I just got punched
by like a 300 pound person in the stomach.
'Cause I know you're freaking tough
and you don't like buckle.
No there's like no way I could have
caught like another wave.
- [Maluhia] No, yeah.
- But I tried one more pump and it just
- bottomed out completely.
- You hit bottom.
- [Moana] I slammed bottom.
- [Maluhia] So gnarly.
And I just like knocked
out. I literally knocked out.
- You hit that hard.
- I hit that hard that I just knocked out.
- I don't know, it hurts super, superbad.
- Maybe go see the guys in the tent.
Yeah, maybe.
(groans)I can't breathe like
big breaths. It hurts.
She did sustain a pretty bad wipe out.
She is not even sure if she hit the the
water or the reef or something flat.
We're gonna evaluate for a concussion
and we're gonna see if
she's gonna be able to
surf again tomorrow or not.
(intense music)
(somber music)
[Maluhia] Watching Moana's
heat was really scary.
I've seen this wave take out so many
people no matter their skill level.
And when I saw Moana get hurt
being one of the best in the world,
I knew I made the right
decision to not surf Pipe.
I think in terms of
like a healing process,
I think I should be able to surf when
I'm back to full health and wellbeing.
I know for sure that this is not the end
of my surfing career. Um...
Is it the end of my goal of
trying to be on the world tour?
Maybe, I don't know.
I wanna be able to surf forever, you know.
- Aloha Cliff, how's it going?
- (speaking foreign language).
Right now it's like fellowship season.
The ASU application I've
kind of been neglecting
because of the fellowship applications.
I'll be working on that
through the comp season.
Cool. I think if you can get
those applications in
to the fellowships and then
also to the PhD program
and then also we're gonna
just need some writing from you.
I've worked to raise
awareness about how coral reef
affects some of the world's
greatest surf breaks.
And how integral it is that we
as surfers protect our arena.
That gives us a platform.
[Cliff] If you can start to think about
and lean into some of the technology
and actually building some of this stuff.
Yeah, that would be awesome.
I think I've been able to find a lot of
really good things from being injured.
And it might've actually been
the little bit of a break
that I needed to focus on my PhD.
- [Cliff] Right on, mahalo.
- All right. Mahalo Cliff, Thank you.
[both] Aloha.
(gentle music)
(rain pattering)
[coach] I don't know
about how much sunshine
there's gonna be today.
Storm's supposed to be coming to Hawaii.
This is tough. You know,
even for the people at home
maybe expecting to see 10 foot Pipe,
massive spins and barrels.
It's definitely not that today.
[Pua's Dad] It is a lot smaller
than yesterday and a lot slower.
[announcer 3]
(indistinct) counting an 8.2-
- All right, find some good ones today.
- [announcer 3 continues] And a 10.9.
I'm gonna look for one. I'm just gonna
get a sick backdoor. That's all I want.
[announcer]
You know, fully exited barrel...
Okay, good luck.
[Brianna] This is my
last chance to improve my two scores
and to make the final. I'm in the middle
of the pack for the rankings.
Everyone's really close
actually the to the top four.
I think like all of us
need a really small score,
which is like one turn or one
little barrel. We're all so close.
So I think that's why, like, the game face
is a little more on today.
[announcer 4] $100,000 up for first prize.
This historic 2022 Vans Pipe Masters.
- [Christina] This is exciting.
- [announcer] 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
(horn blows)
- [Christina] Here we go.
- Come on, sis.
- (dramatic crescendo)
- Go, Bri, go.
- [announcer] There she goes.
Oh, go Brianna.
[announcer 2] Driving that board
straight into a barrel.
- (music intensifies)
- (Gabi groans)
[announcer 3] Brianna Cope,
your last score now in at a 9.9...
- Oh higher than I thought.
- [announcer 3] Number nine.
[announcer 4] Brianna and Tyler
on the outside looking in.
They need those top scores
in order to make it to the finals.
[announcer 3] There we go Tyler Wright.
Gettin' on the board, getting the mojo
flowin'. Wow! That was committed.
[announcer] And that ride right
there catapults her into the top four
holding on to that fourth spot.
- Here we go, here we go.
- You go Bri.
- Go, Bri.
- [Gabi] Send it.
(intense drumming music)
[announcer] Here goes Brianna Cope on a
runner extending down the line...
- [crowd] Oh!
- [announcer] ...Oh! Shut down.
It's all right. Get back up, get back up.
[announcer 4] 30 seconds left.
Will we see a miracle?
Come on Bri.
Does it say she needs a 13.8?
- Yeah.
- She only needs a 13.8.
(intense music)
- You go, Bri. Come on.
- Oh! Go Bri! Come on. Come on.
(music continues)
[announcer]
We'll see who has what it takes
to solidify their place in the finals.
Brianna cope gets caught yet again
behind another wall of
water and doesn't make it out.
- Man.
- Good effort.
- Yeah.
- (gentle music plays)
[announcer 4] Yeah, unfortunately Brianna
just having some bad luck.
She looked good on her on her boards
and she seemed like she was surfing well.
It just didn't really pan out for her.
Wish I would've made the
final and that's why I was so
aggressive on that last wave 'cause,
like, there's a hundred K on the line.
But I think I improved from
yesterday's performance.
Ah, I'm tired.
Yesterday was definitely a
historical female event because
I think a few years ago
they wouldn't have ran
the women out in this
condition in big waves.
I'm not upset. It was really fun.
I wish I would've made the final but,
got to pack a couple one ways.
(gentle music fades)
(upbeat music)
I feel very beat up right now.
I feel like I was in a car accident.
Everything on my body's hurting,
from the top of my head to my toes.
But, there's no way that
I'm not gonna surf my heat.
As a competitor, you just have to
keep overcoming every
obstacle that's thrown at you.
Clear your mind, stay clear.
And when you commit,
go with one way or the other.
Don't split your brain into two like,
"Oh, maybe I should go right,
- maybe I should go left", like...
- Look and go.
- Yes.
- Yesterday I did not catch any waves
but making the final
four is still achievable.
Even with a zero in your score line.
You only need two waves.
Now I just gotta go out there and really
perform and push myself and surf.
[Moana] It all depends
on the ocean at this point.
Like I just need to be in the
right place at the right time
and just hope that I can
get another good wave
and make it to the final.
[announcer] Counting down the next heat.
3, 2, 1.
- (horn blows)
[announcer] Sound of the horn!
- Heat four is on.
- [Maluhia] Go, Moana!
[announcer 2] First live action of the
heat. Moana Jones-Wong going backhand...
on the righted back door...
[announcer 4] She knows how
to do it too, on the right.
I seen her gettin' so shacked.
[announcer 2]
Shoo bruh! She's shredding off the top.
[announcer 4] Her vibe is so sick.
(upbeat music)
[announcer 4]
Pua gettin' her campaign started
and some mojo flowin'
out there this morning.
(crowd hooting)
[announcer 4] Wow. Gotta get moving,
that's what we're talking about.
- [announcer 2] Oh no! Oh!
- Oh my God!
[announcer 3] Oh that wave, nasty. Look
she broke her board... cha-check 'em.
Smoked!
It's gonna pop up with two pieces.
Had a run! I mean, come on.
Pua just packed a barrel
and broke her board.
So, we're getting a board ready.
[coach] Pua's ride was incredible.
She took off in the right spot.
She just hit a little weird bobble
and it got weird.
(intense music)
[announcer] Let's go!
This looks beautiful.
[announcer 4] Oh yeah. All right, Moana.
- Go, Moana, nice one!
- Oh, nice one.
[announcer 2] Go, go... Aww no...
Oh, board. Thrashed.
- Moana's board just broke.
- [Tehotu] Hers too?
- Yeah.
- [coach] It's not a forgiving wave.
[Moana] I'm like gassed
and I grab my board
and I'm like trying to
paddle out as fast as I can.
Moana's gotta get
out there for one more wave.
[announcer 2] There we go.
Splitting the peak. Pua going left.
- [announcer 2] Oh!
- [Dawson] Eh, see Pua, come on.
Next one, next one, get in line.
This is yours babe. This is yours!
[announcer] Sierra Kerr, going for it.
Long wall ahead. Still going!
Oh, she comes out! Oh my! What a ride!
We'll take a look at the replay here,
and just to make it official,
Sierra Kerr does drop in
on Puamakamae DeSoto.
Pua was in the prime position, you know,
Sierra Kerr should've looked back.
And that wave is not gonna count.
[announcer 2]
Yeah, that's, that's unfortunate.
- (horn blows)
- [announcer 2] Ah, I love this.
That's what you're
looking for right there.
[announcer 4] And that's it.
Moana and Pua looked good out there,
but just didn't do quite enough to
get into the top four to make the finals.
Hi Pua.
I was just glad to see Pua
activate in that heat and
get comfortable, catch waves,
take some, take some spills.
- It was good.
- (gentle music plays)
I'm just learning. I think
that's the biggest difference.
And now having Pipe, like I
was able to be happy out there.
Just, I told myself just have fun and to
push yourself and pull into barrels that
you may have not have pulled in before.
And I think I did that.
It makes me excited for next year.
Felt like I was hustling,
I was giving it my all
and whatever came at me,
I did the best that I could've done.
(indistinct chatter)
- I'm really bruised.
- Oh, where? Again?
- Over all over my...
- Again?
[Moana] Torso.
No, no, no, no from yesterday.
The only queen of Pipe is Pipe itself.
I don't think anybody deserves
that title except for Pipeline.
Overall this season has
been an amazing ride.
So many things in the past year has like
changed me as a person for the better.
My girl gang, my Pipe surfing, my
winnings, my success, my losses.
All of that has really shaped
me into a better person.
(upbeat serene music plays)
- Hi guys!
- Hi!
Thanks for coming.
Good job at Pipe, you guys.
- (unintelligible chatter fades)
- (music continues)
So of course it's not the result that
I wanted out at Pipe.
And my ribs are still sore
but it could have been way worse, so.
- You scared the crap outta me.
- Yeah you pulled into like...
- You came up all shaky.
- I'm you're glad you're okay.
- [Maluhia] Yeah.
- I was so nervous going out.
Right when I hit the water
I was like, "Oh it's really big".
- And then I got really nervous.
- I wasn't able to do it this year,
but I'm looking forward
to doing it next year and
hopefully gaining more experience
at Pipe throughout the winter.
- Come surf with us, come join us.
- I think you had an amazing season and
you kind of proved to yourself that
you can be one of the top
women surfers in the world.
- Thank you, Moana.
- [all] Yeah.
I think that you and Pua are gonna have
a lot of breakthrough performances.
It was amazing to see you
on stage at (indistinct).
And speaking Hawaiian and
our Olelo Hawaii
and sharing that with the world.
It was special and...
- Yeah.
- We applaud you for it
and I'm so proud of you and
thankful that you can continue that on.
And I'm happy I get
to compete with someone
who also can Olelo Hawaii and
other native Hawaiian women.
- It's special.
- [Pua] It's super special, yeah.
- It's amazing.
- I'm excited.
Well, I hope you guys are
really proud of yourselves
because honestly all of you
did amazing the whole season.
(speaking foreign language)
I think you're a huge
role model for any like,
native Hawaiian girl or girl in general.
'Cause you're so strong
mentally to go through
everything you've went
through this past year and
I could like start crying right now,
but I'm, I like, I'm so proud of you.
(Moana laughing)
I'm so proud of us and how far we've come
and the best is yet to come.
(girls singing in foreign language)
(waves crashing)
(upbeat music)
This year was kind of a big year for me.
I'm excited to compete and travel
on the Challenger Series next season.
I love my home but I really
want to go somewhere and
experience the rest of the world.
I want to continue competitive surfing and
continue representing
Hawaii, Olelo Hawaii and
Hawaiian culture on the
highest stage of surfing.
(gentle music)
After Pipe I had like a little spark
and joy of surfing big waves
and my big goal is to travel around
and go to places that I've never been,
surf waves I've never got
the opportunity to surf.
I'm really excited to see where my surfing
is at the end of the year.
Also, I'm partnering with
one of my best friends
to start a business together.
I think this year is a big
year for new challenges and
I'm ready to ride that wave.
(music continues)
My goals are still to win
a world title like my dad
and I also wanna go off and
win an Olympic gold medal.
But I've realized whether it's
with surfing or with life,
my parents will always be there for me.
And I've realized over
the last couple months
that my goals are to also love myself
and who I am and who I wanna be.
You know, I really wanna find the joy
throughout it all. And just love it.
My knee injury was a really, really
good way to shift my perspective on
things that I really
prioritize in my life.
And I got accepted to the
PhD program at UH Manoa.
It's much easier to live
the life that I want to
if I'm able to blend surfing and science
and environmentalism and
Hawaiian culture together.
And it makes me really
fulfilled and happy.
(music continues)
Looking into the future
what excites me the most
is the Challenger Series that's coming up.
I'm super excited to
compete around the world
and try to qualify for
the championship tour.
That's the ultimate goal.
I've never had a group of female surfers
that I was so close to until now.
Like I've only had boy buddy
friends to go surfing with,
and they're not the same.
Having a girl gang is like
the best thing ever. I am just like,
this is what I've been missing
out this whole time on.
Like I'm so thankful
that finally have this.
(gentle music crescendos)
(upbeat music)
(high-intensity rock music)
Pipeline was a wave that people
once thought was not surfable.
(music continues)
It is one of the most dangerous
waves on the planet.
We've seen more deaths at this break
than any other surf spot in the world.
Pipe is like the highest peak
that you can reach as a surfer.
The next contest is the Vans Pipe Masters.
This is the most iconic
surf contest in the world.
If you wanna be the best surfer in the
world, you need to master Pipeline.
If you don't master Pipeline,
you're not the best surfer in the world.
- (waves crashing)
- (music crescendos)
(upbeat music)
Pipe is looking not so good right now,
but this wave can change so fast.
All we can do is just be hopeful and start
manifesting positivity towards the ocean.
The Vans Pipe Masters is
an invitation only event.
It doesn't count towards any points,
but there's a big prize purse of $100,000.
That's a lot of money.
It's prestigious, it's epic.
[announcer] Moana Jones
Wong has just won Pipeline!
[Moana] This time last year
I won the first ever
major woman's contest at Pipeline.
I wanna win again.
I'm gonna meditate a lot and feel.
Calm.
Because Pipeline is not calm.
Pipeline is always chaos.
- (waves crashing)
- (upbeat music)
So normally when you surf Pipe
you're battling with about 100 people.
But when you're
in a contest out at Pipe
and there's just three
other people out there,
there's nobody paddling for your waves.
There's nobody in your way.
You don't have to worry about like
maneuvering around tons of people.
It's just like it's the best thing ever.
I love surfing out there in a heat.
I know that I have the most experience
out of every girl out there.
But that's not how it works.
You can be the best surfer in the world
and Pipe will show
you who's boss really fast.
(upbeat music)
I got invited as the first alternate
for the Vans Pipe Masters contest.
But, Pipeline's a very dangerous wave.
I just don't really go out there.
But when I do, I'll be out
there for like three hours
and not catch a single wave.
I don't wanna go out to a
contest and not perform well.
I wanna make sure that I'm ready and like
I don't know if I am.
(waves roaring)
(birds chirping)
I definitely do have days
where I question
if I want to continue
to compete in surfing
because the pressure just
takes away the love for it.
[Koral] That smile across your face.
Auntie Koral is like
a second mama to me.
She's just very wise,
and she's experienced so much in life
and has so much knowledge
to give and share.
[Koral] Why do you look so solemn?
[chuckles]
Hella... was just like...
- Rough day.
- Rough day for sure and like you know,
the heat and how I like
surfed terribly and embarrassed myself.
I think like sitting down and
like thinking about like
is this what I want to do is kind of, the
question that's running through my mind.
So, what's the overall goal?
Go around the world and
like connect with cultures.
Competing is the harder part for me.
I just feel like every time I put a jersey
on with pressure or without pressure,
it's like I'm not showing
my best performance.
[Koral] Huh. You grew up loving surfing
'cause it's so fun.
- Yeah.
- And the ideal goal
is to do what you love as your job, but
it is hard. Do whatever brings you joy.
And if you love competing, compete.
If you don't, keep surfing
as a part of your life
that brings you joy.
It's just making sure you're
loving it along the way
and you don't lose touch with
that fine joy it brings you.
(gentle music)
I definitely underestimate myself
and that's why I think I have bad heats.
I need to be working on my mental health.
You know, go back to the root of my
11 year old self and my love for surfing
because I do love it
at the end of the day.
(music continues)
- [Maluhia] When do you graduate?
- [Ēwe] Uh, May.
- Just a little bit.
- [Ēwe] Almost there.
You're in the home stretch.
I'm stoked for you.
Thank you. Kind of gonna take the
next year to just experiment
- even with my competitive surfing and...
- [Maluhia] Yeah
- And then life in general.
- Yeah.
[Maluhia] Are you on the
wild card for Pipeline?
I got an invitation as first alternate
but I turned it down
just because I personally don't think
that I am ready to surf Pipeline.
That wave is so, has so much mana
you gotta be like 150%.
It's a huge safety thing
if you're not ready.
And I don't want to be like tentative at
Pipeline just 'cause I'm scared to like...
- Yeah
- Get hurt.
I'm proud of you. I think that's a really
good decision for yourself.
- Thank you.
- [both] Yeah.
- [gentle music]
- A lot of people get really hurt at Pipe.
Like you should know what you're doing
if you're going out there.
And I don't think that I am
ready this year to surf Pipe.
I'm hoping that this year I learn the wave
and just like get better at barrel riding.
I see a lot of growth.
I think you're gonna like
just have the coolest trajectory to watch.
I'm super excited.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Well I'm very lucky to have
you as a great role model.
Yeah. And I'm very lucky
just to have you as a friend, like.
- [Ēwe] Yes. Definitely.
- Badass.
(upbeat music)
(music intensifies)
[Pua] The Vans Pipe Masters
is my last event of this year.
I just really want to push myself.
And so I'm gonna work hard to do my best
and overcome some of my fears.
[Megan] Bop bop bop, good.
Breathe now.
Blow with your teeth. Shh.
So you hear it.
- [Pua] Shh shh shh shh.
- [Megan] There you go.
Pipe requires you to be mentally strong,
and physically strong.
It's a strong current.
You gotta be able to kick and scratch for
that wave and commit down that face.
You know when you're paddling out at Pipe,
that's how you should be breathing like...
Like (sucks teeth)
- Filling up those lungs with air,
- Yeah
filling up your stomach,
diaphragm with air.
(Pua breathing loudly)
- [Megan] There you go.
- (Pua breathing loudly)
- Attagirl, good job. Break. 30 seconds.
- What are you nervous about?
- My emotions for this event.
- Nervous. Scared.
- Your dad knows what's best for you.
Like no matter what I'm gonna
have the feelings but just like...
- breathing through it I guess and...
- Exactly and that's why we box,
is to let out that aggression
and your nervousness
but breathing through it. 'Cause no
matter what, it's gonna be there.
So where's the,
what's your doubt then?
[high pitched] I dunno
- You're prepared, it's just...
- [Pua] Yeah, I'm prepared.
- It's just my mind.
- It's your mind.
I mean that's where it all
starts mentally, right?
- Yeah.
- Telling yourself that you can.
You are your own worst
enemy and best friend.
Confidence is what you need
to to do anything, right?
- [Pua] Yeah.
- [Megan] But especially surf at Pipe.
- Right?
- Yeah.
And I fully have moments
where I'm just like...
(dramatic music bellows)
Can I even do this?
And it's like yeah you can.
- It excites me.
- [Megan] Give it all, come on.
- (upbeat music)
- (boxing gloves thudding)
What you gonna do? (groans)
Ah! Go knock 'em out.
I think put with her mindset
of how much she wants it
and how hungry she is and
how much I see it in her.
- I think she's ready for Pipe.
- (dramatic music swells)
- (music fades)
- (waves crash)
[Brianna] The waves look super fun.
[Maluhia] I thought it was
gonna be pretty small today.
- [Brianna] Yeah
- I was trying to remember,
when was the first time
you surfed up here?
I was here with Uncle Max and I was like
"I don't wanna go out, it's too big."
I'll never forget this. And then I see
you walking out with your dad.
He said "They're going",
and I'm like "So, what does that mean?"
So then I ended up going and
then the rest is history.
- (both laughing)
- (uplifitng music)
Malu is the funnest person to call for
big waves because she's like not afraid.
Like she just pumps me up.
And I remember last year we were
towing in together and I was like
"I don't wanna go out here."
And she's like, "We got this".
She's just down.
She's just a powerful warrior.
How's your knee feeling?
Ooh I can walk on my
leg now, which is good.
- Are you doing PT?
- Yes.
Nice. That will help in like
the more you can push it
- and get it ready to surf Pipe.
- Yeah.
- (Brianna laughing)
- Frick, I really wanna surf Pipe.
- [Brianna] I think you're gonna be good.
- I've always been drawn to Pipeline.
That wave has so much
mana and so much power.
If you are able to master
that and match that mana,
it's like the ultimate feeling as a
surfer and the only reason that I surf.
I'm really going with the flow,
and I'm like,
"hey if that's my (speaking Hawaiian),
then that's where I'll go."
- Yeah.
- But trying not to force it.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm an alternate for the Vans Pipe
Masters, so I just have to wait and see.
If Maluhia, she doesn't feel better,
then I'll take that spot.
But, she's a friend,
so I want her to do the contest
but make the right decision for herself.
- [Maluhia] Love you bra.
- [Brianna] Love you too.
(upbeat music)
40 Of you men, 20 of
you ladies get to compete.
Great to see you welcoming people from
Australia, Tahiti, Brazil,
Hawaii of course. And the United States.
We'll let the rest take it away.
Have a great night.
All right, thank you.
So we're gonna draw
your names, call you up,
and you get to put your name
anywhere on any heat.
- (crowd cheering)
- [Moana] Shoot.
- I don't know which heat I wanna be in.
- You guys are making me nervous.
I am so stressed out.
[Moana] For every other contest,
your heat is assigned to you.
Picking your own heat is
nerve-wracking and scary.
- [Mahina] Bettylou Sakura Johnson.
- (crowd cheers)
- [Mahina] Bettylou!
- It's a pretty big deal to be invited
to the Vans Pipe Masters.
I mean 20 people out of the whole world.
- [Steve] Pua Desoto.
- Ah!
- Heat four, yeah?
- [Moana] What are you gonna do?
- [Pua] I wanna be in your heat.
- (upbeat music)
- (crowd applauding)
- [Mahina] Thank you.
- [Steve] Moana Jones Wong.
- Oh I'm up, I'm finally up.
- (crowd cheering)
- Ah!
- [Mahina] It's official.
- [Steve] All right, heat four.
[Mahina] Women's heat
four is now completed.
Pua Desoto. Moana Jones Wong.
Molly Picklum ans Sierra Kerr.
- [Maluhia] I would wanna be in your heat.
- (crowd applauding)
- [Mahina] Maluhia Kinimaka.
- (crowd cheers)
Uh, I blew my knee out so I have to
withdraw. But I have the alternate's card.
[Mahina] Oh okay.
So we have a withdrawal for a knee injury
and we have the alternate.
- [Maluhia] Yeah, Brianna Cope.
- (crowd applauding)
It's kind of hard when you're training
so vehemently for so long
and then suddenly it's like,
okay Mal, you just gotta take a break.
Like, you just gotta be okay
with being not okay for a little bit.
[Mahina] And that completes our women's
heats one through five. Thank you ladies.
- [Pua] I love you.
- (crowd applauding)
[Maluhia]
It's like just such a gift. (sighs)
And you know when you just get the best
present in the whole world and you're like
"Ah I can't accept this".
Like it's really hard.
I know deep down in my heart
that I'll surf Pipeline whether
it's in a contest or not.
And I'm gonna get that wave.
- Just put her on speaker.
- Okay. Speaker.
- Oh there you are. Hello!
- Ah!
[Brianna] I left my grandma's house
to get on the phone with you guys.
What's the news?
[Maluhia] Guess what, bra?
You're in the Pipe Masters.
- [Moana] You're in.
- [Brianna] What?
- Yeah.
- You got in, 'sista.
I'm like kinda bummed though
cause like honestly
I was like maybe thinking Mal
was gonna (indistinct) I'm like okay.
- [Maluhia] No, no I cannot.
- [Moana] Wave's gonna be like 25 feet.
[Maluhia] I know I cannot.
I'm going to break my legs.
[Brianna] Oh God.
- (rock music)
- The opportunity to surf Pipe is unreal.
It's like dream come true.
We're gonna get barreled
and we're gonna have fun
and we're gonna be with our friends.
[Maluhia] So I think
you're in heat three, yeah?
- [Moana] You're heat three.
- [Brianna] Seriously?
Even though I'm not gonna get to surf,
I'm really happy to see like Brianna go
and and give her best crack at it.
Congrats.
(upbeat music)
Work beats talent when
talent doesn't work hard.
And I think that's what got
me to where I am in my career.
I really, really believe in hard work.
To the top!
Let's go!
(intense music)
I'm super excited for this opportunity.
Every time you can go
out and surf Pipeline
with three other females is amazing,
but Pipeline is the most
dangerous wave on the planet.
And the consequences are super high.
Moana really dedicated her
life to surfing Pipeline.
And like Moana's pushing
people on bigger waves.
Everyone's elevating everyone.
So I feel like it's just
fired me up even more.
(music continues)
I feel like I showed up with my briefcase
and I'm ready to work.
So like let's go.
(buoyant music)
[Kiana] Okay. 1, 2, 3.
Pipe is like my dream wave.
This is like my special place.
I think like every Pipe contest is just
so emotional for some reason.
I don't know why.
It is, it's just Pipeline
in general I think.
Yeah.
The only person that I could talk about
like really personal things with, was you.
- Yeah.
- When I started doing good at surfing and
I was like, you know, kind of on top
I felt like everybody was like
- "Oh she's so lucky", like.
- Yeah.
Like I felt like a lot of people thought
I didn't deserve that.
Social media...
Effs everything up.
Yeah social media... Like so many people
were like attacking me
and little did they know like
how much I was struggling.
- And I'm just like,
- Ridiculous.
I think I just let that all get to my
head. Then I just felt like I was like
at the bottom of the ocean like drowning.
It's just crazy 'cause
you were doing so good
at the time like in front
of everybody else's eyes.
- Yeah
- But like behind the scenes it's like
"I just went home and
I'm just like so bummed'.
Yeah.
I think a lot of people struggle with
not believing in themselves.
Being an athlete is not fun at times.
It really messes with your
head, it messes with your mood.
It just like takes you on this crazy
roller coaster ride of emotions.
I really feel like Pipeline
lifted me to my feet and like
gave me everything I've ever wanted and
could ever dream about and more.
I wouldn't be the person I am
at all right now without this wave.
It just feels like it's not even a wave.
It feels like it's alive, you know.
- Woo! Goosebumps with my hair.
- (Moana laughing)
I'm serious!
I mean I'm excited for you.
And the funny thing is you're more excited
than you are scared or anything.
- I'm scared that I'm so excited though.
- (waves lapping the shore)
(enchanting music)
(conch shells honking)
(ethereal music)
[Pau] My family has done opening and
closing ceremonies for the events.
It's just really special.
All of the surfers competing in the event,
surfers who aren't competing
come join us over here.
We're gonna be offering
(speaking in Hawaiian)
or gifts of offering that we prepared
for our ancestors and our
(speaking in Hawaiian) and the ocean.
(singing in foreign language)
(enchanting music)
(waves lapping on the shore)
[Pua] The blessing does connect me
a little bit more to the ocean
um, but I think like even with that
there's still more connecting to do.
(waves crashing)
My family does so much for me.
There's a lot of sacrifice.
I know it and I feel it.
I really want to make them proud of me.
(music fades)
(upbeat music)
[announcer] Welcome to the Pipeline.
We are excited to kick off the women's
portion of the Vans Pipe Masters.
(upbeat music continues)
Women surfing at Pipe
competitively is pretty new.
There's so much talent here today.
We have men and women
in the same conditions.
It's never really been something
that has been done at Pipe in competition.
I think it's gonna be pretty historical
in terms of women surfing at Pipeline.
And so I'm making all my friends
these little things called
(speaking in Hawaiian).
They're like just little
pieces of ti leaf that are spun
together and they're like
a symbol of protection.
Because I think a lot of them are pretty
nervous right now and rightfully so.
We had a very challenging surf forecast
for this event period.
So we have these shifting winds,
it makes the waves a little bit fluffy.
It makes them, the barrel not so open.
And when you couple that
with a peaking swell
of about 12 to 15 feet or 30 foot faces.
It's radical.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic music bellows)
[Christina]
It looks good out there for you.
I just wanna get a mental one.
Just one good wave.
Yeah.
I think everyone's really
nervous and high energy because
it's bombing out there. It's dangerous.
We're seeing the men get hurt and
it's definitely a day of high consequence.
(waves roaring)
Even just a few years ago they wouldn't
have put the women out in this condition.
So I think it's gonna push a lot of us.
It's gonna uplift a lot of us,
and it's gonna inspire a lot of us.
(intense music)
(waves roaring)
- Looks really gnarly. Sketchy, heavy.
- Yeah. Yeah. I would be scared.
Yeah, I'd be scared
watching you out there.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic music bellows)
- And you'll believe in yourself-
- Yep.
- Okay?
- [Brianna] Maluhia made me this.
Aw.
- [Brianna] Love you guys.
- (indistinct chatter)
All right Brianna, get it.
[announcer] 20 women, and the unique
thing about this year's scoring is
competitors keep their scores in both
round one and round two.
And then we'll look for the top four
for the ultimate final.
For this competition, they're looking
for a combination of things.
They're looking for barrels,
they're looking for airs and
they're looking for turns.
Instead of scoring it
from a 1 to 10 scale,
they're scoring it from 1 to 30.
30 being the excellent score.
(horn blowing)
[announcer] Sound of the horn,
heat three is on.
[announcer 2] Here we go, we got some
takers both on the left and the right.
(crowd yelling)
That's okay, she got a spot, got a wave.
[announcer] We've got wave scores, Rock.
Here we go.
Brianna Cope in the orange jersey.
A 2.7 out of a possible 30.
[announcer 2] That is blue
Bettylou Sakura Johnson,
"Shreddylou" in the barrel
coming out, and she does!
[announcer] Out of a possible 30,
scores a 24.0!
Surfer in white, Caitlin Simmers stalling,
covered, barrel, there she is!
Score that for the young 15 year old.
A 21.5 out of a possible 30.
[announcer 2]
Yeah and with that wave she moves up
to number two behind Carissa Moore.
- [Christina] Go Bri. Go, go, go.
- (unintelligible chatter)
[announcer 2] Uh, in red, Brianna Cope.
[announcer] Brianna with
a carve on the forehead.
Time straightens out a big
wall of water right there.
Probably a good idea not to attempt much
in that very shallow section here.
- [announcer] 3, 2, 1.
- (horn blows)
Sound of the horn ends heat number three.
(upbeat music)
[Christina] She's coming
in with a smile on her face.
- She has a fan.
- [Christina] Yeah she does.
[Gabi] Yeah, she's like
everybody's favorite.
I kind of want to go fan girl her too.
You survived, are you kidding me?
- I'm so proud of you.
- I felt kinda confident on the last one,
I was hoping I was gonna barrel.
It was actually super fun.
Just to get the like nerves out.
'Cause I was super scared before so
just to get a couple waves, I had fun.
Time to get ready to get
bigger scores tomorrow.
That's just a warmup heat.
(music crescendos)
Aw, you're the sweetest.
They're so cute.
I know they're little.
I was like there's no way
I'm gonna let them go out
there right now without them.
- (waves booming)
- [Maluhia] That's scary.
I'm like so nervous and so excited,
so jittery and so ah!
I bet once you go, once you
go you'll be fine, you know?
I think so too.
I think once I like get wet, and just.
(waves crashing in distance)
- Love you.
- Love you too.
- (unintelligible announcer chatter)
- (someone whistles)
Everybody in this contest is nervous so.
That's okay to be nervous.
(crowd cheering)
Proud of you.
Super excited that she's
following in my footsteps
and really wants me there with her.
I mean that's, it's a gift. My daughter's
17 years old and coming out to Pipe.
That's amazing.
Have fun.
(gentle music)
I don't want her to get hurt.
So I want her to just go out there and...
keep her safety as a priority.
That's more important than
anything else right now.
(intense music)
[Pua] I think I'm gonna have
to get my jitters off early.
So even if it's a small wave, just go and
get that off and then just keep surfing.
(intense music)
Now that I see the conditions,
it's like pretty dangerous.
So I think going out
there not having surfed
or having the right
training for five weeks
would've just been the
stupidest thing I've ever done.
(horn blows)
[announcer] Alright let's go!
Round 1 Heat 4.
[announcer 2] This is a heat.
This is quite the heat.
[announcer 3] This could be an iconic
day, uh, for women's surfing.
- Oh stand by.
- (crowd murmuring)
- [announcer] Moana attacking it.
- (intense chanting music)
Oh that was heavy.
[announcer 2] Just a little too deep
but man, what an incredible job charging.
- (water rushing)
- (intense music)
- [announcer] Is Moana okay?
- [announcer 2] She hasn't paddled yet.
You see the water patrol
coming in to check on her.
Saw her sort of shake
her head a little bit.
- (waves crashing)
- (dramatic bellow)
- Ah, geez. I think she hurt herself.
- Yeah it looks like it.
[Maluhia] Pipeline is incredibly dangerous
because if you fall in the impact zone
or if you're getting cleaned
out by a wave after you've fallen
it's maybe two feet on a hard stabby reef.
It's scary.
[announcer] That end section
is just so shallow and it sucks so dry.
Yeah she might have hit the bottom.
The queen of Pipeline.
- (solemn piano music)
- (waves crashing)
She pulled in, she was
traveling in the barrel
and it just was kind of going too quick
so it kind of clamped down on her.
And all that water and all that force.
It can kind of compression stun you.
That was a pretty solid wave.
So she probably got rattled.
[announcer 3] 11.3 out of a possible 30.
Well Moana Jones Wong has now
moved up into the top four.
[announcer] Pua still looking for her
first wave as she remains in last place.
[Duane] Oh boy.
[announcer 2] With 3:40 to go
should have enough time to get one and
maybe get one back out there.
[announcer] Puamakamae not
with the wave score right now,
but the young 17 year old...
She could catch a wave and
move up in the second place
even into first place,
because of the 30 points possible.
Time check. 50 seconds remaining.
50 seconds counting down.
[Duane] Ah man.
(music intensifies)
[announcer] Here's the
countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
(horn blowing)
Sound of the horn rounds out heat four
of the women's round one.
- She tried.
- (crowd muttering)
(crowd cheering)
- [Pua] I really wanted to get one.
- Next time.
[Pua] My score at the end
of this heat was solid zero.
I did not catch one wave.
And I actually missed two
really good waves in the beginning.
I was like waiting for that one.
And in 30 minutes sometimes
that one doesn't come.
And so I think, you know, remembering that
going into my next heat is just surf.
It's all right.
Reset for tomorrow, yeah?
It literally feels like I just got punched
by like a 300 pound person in the stomach.
'Cause I know you're freaking tough
and you don't like buckle.
No there's like no way I could have
caught like another wave.
- [Maluhia] No, yeah.
- But I tried one more pump and it just
- bottomed out completely.
- You hit bottom.
- [Moana] I slammed bottom.
- [Maluhia] So gnarly.
And I just like knocked
out. I literally knocked out.
- You hit that hard.
- I hit that hard that I just knocked out.
- I don't know, it hurts super, superbad.
- Maybe go see the guys in the tent.
Yeah, maybe.
(groans)I can't breathe like
big breaths. It hurts.
She did sustain a pretty bad wipe out.
She is not even sure if she hit the the
water or the reef or something flat.
We're gonna evaluate for a concussion
and we're gonna see if
she's gonna be able to
surf again tomorrow or not.
(intense music)
(somber music)
[Maluhia] Watching Moana's
heat was really scary.
I've seen this wave take out so many
people no matter their skill level.
And when I saw Moana get hurt
being one of the best in the world,
I knew I made the right
decision to not surf Pipe.
I think in terms of
like a healing process,
I think I should be able to surf when
I'm back to full health and wellbeing.
I know for sure that this is not the end
of my surfing career. Um...
Is it the end of my goal of
trying to be on the world tour?
Maybe, I don't know.
I wanna be able to surf forever, you know.
- Aloha Cliff, how's it going?
- (speaking foreign language).
Right now it's like fellowship season.
The ASU application I've
kind of been neglecting
because of the fellowship applications.
I'll be working on that
through the comp season.
Cool. I think if you can get
those applications in
to the fellowships and then
also to the PhD program
and then also we're gonna
just need some writing from you.
I've worked to raise
awareness about how coral reef
affects some of the world's
greatest surf breaks.
And how integral it is that we
as surfers protect our arena.
That gives us a platform.
[Cliff] If you can start to think about
and lean into some of the technology
and actually building some of this stuff.
Yeah, that would be awesome.
I think I've been able to find a lot of
really good things from being injured.
And it might've actually been
the little bit of a break
that I needed to focus on my PhD.
- [Cliff] Right on, mahalo.
- All right. Mahalo Cliff, Thank you.
[both] Aloha.
(gentle music)
(rain pattering)
[coach] I don't know
about how much sunshine
there's gonna be today.
Storm's supposed to be coming to Hawaii.
This is tough. You know,
even for the people at home
maybe expecting to see 10 foot Pipe,
massive spins and barrels.
It's definitely not that today.
[Pua's Dad] It is a lot smaller
than yesterday and a lot slower.
[announcer 3]
(indistinct) counting an 8.2-
- All right, find some good ones today.
- [announcer 3 continues] And a 10.9.
I'm gonna look for one. I'm just gonna
get a sick backdoor. That's all I want.
[announcer]
You know, fully exited barrel...
Okay, good luck.
[Brianna] This is my
last chance to improve my two scores
and to make the final. I'm in the middle
of the pack for the rankings.
Everyone's really close
actually the to the top four.
I think like all of us
need a really small score,
which is like one turn or one
little barrel. We're all so close.
So I think that's why, like, the game face
is a little more on today.
[announcer 4] $100,000 up for first prize.
This historic 2022 Vans Pipe Masters.
- [Christina] This is exciting.
- [announcer] 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
(horn blows)
- [Christina] Here we go.
- Come on, sis.
- (dramatic crescendo)
- Go, Bri, go.
- [announcer] There she goes.
Oh, go Brianna.
[announcer 2] Driving that board
straight into a barrel.
- (music intensifies)
- (Gabi groans)
[announcer 3] Brianna Cope,
your last score now in at a 9.9...
- Oh higher than I thought.
- [announcer 3] Number nine.
[announcer 4] Brianna and Tyler
on the outside looking in.
They need those top scores
in order to make it to the finals.
[announcer 3] There we go Tyler Wright.
Gettin' on the board, getting the mojo
flowin'. Wow! That was committed.
[announcer] And that ride right
there catapults her into the top four
holding on to that fourth spot.
- Here we go, here we go.
- You go Bri.
- Go, Bri.
- [Gabi] Send it.
(intense drumming music)
[announcer] Here goes Brianna Cope on a
runner extending down the line...
- [crowd] Oh!
- [announcer] ...Oh! Shut down.
It's all right. Get back up, get back up.
[announcer 4] 30 seconds left.
Will we see a miracle?
Come on Bri.
Does it say she needs a 13.8?
- Yeah.
- She only needs a 13.8.
(intense music)
- You go, Bri. Come on.
- Oh! Go Bri! Come on. Come on.
(music continues)
[announcer]
We'll see who has what it takes
to solidify their place in the finals.
Brianna cope gets caught yet again
behind another wall of
water and doesn't make it out.
- Man.
- Good effort.
- Yeah.
- (gentle music plays)
[announcer 4] Yeah, unfortunately Brianna
just having some bad luck.
She looked good on her on her boards
and she seemed like she was surfing well.
It just didn't really pan out for her.
Wish I would've made the
final and that's why I was so
aggressive on that last wave 'cause,
like, there's a hundred K on the line.
But I think I improved from
yesterday's performance.
Ah, I'm tired.
Yesterday was definitely a
historical female event because
I think a few years ago
they wouldn't have ran
the women out in this
condition in big waves.
I'm not upset. It was really fun.
I wish I would've made the final but,
got to pack a couple one ways.
(gentle music fades)
(upbeat music)
I feel very beat up right now.
I feel like I was in a car accident.
Everything on my body's hurting,
from the top of my head to my toes.
But, there's no way that
I'm not gonna surf my heat.
As a competitor, you just have to
keep overcoming every
obstacle that's thrown at you.
Clear your mind, stay clear.
And when you commit,
go with one way or the other.
Don't split your brain into two like,
"Oh, maybe I should go right,
- maybe I should go left", like...
- Look and go.
- Yes.
- Yesterday I did not catch any waves
but making the final
four is still achievable.
Even with a zero in your score line.
You only need two waves.
Now I just gotta go out there and really
perform and push myself and surf.
[Moana] It all depends
on the ocean at this point.
Like I just need to be in the
right place at the right time
and just hope that I can
get another good wave
and make it to the final.
[announcer] Counting down the next heat.
3, 2, 1.
- (horn blows)
[announcer] Sound of the horn!
- Heat four is on.
- [Maluhia] Go, Moana!
[announcer 2] First live action of the
heat. Moana Jones-Wong going backhand...
on the righted back door...
[announcer 4] She knows how
to do it too, on the right.
I seen her gettin' so shacked.
[announcer 2]
Shoo bruh! She's shredding off the top.
[announcer 4] Her vibe is so sick.
(upbeat music)
[announcer 4]
Pua gettin' her campaign started
and some mojo flowin'
out there this morning.
(crowd hooting)
[announcer 4] Wow. Gotta get moving,
that's what we're talking about.
- [announcer 2] Oh no! Oh!
- Oh my God!
[announcer 3] Oh that wave, nasty. Look
she broke her board... cha-check 'em.
Smoked!
It's gonna pop up with two pieces.
Had a run! I mean, come on.
Pua just packed a barrel
and broke her board.
So, we're getting a board ready.
[coach] Pua's ride was incredible.
She took off in the right spot.
She just hit a little weird bobble
and it got weird.
(intense music)
[announcer] Let's go!
This looks beautiful.
[announcer 4] Oh yeah. All right, Moana.
- Go, Moana, nice one!
- Oh, nice one.
[announcer 2] Go, go... Aww no...
Oh, board. Thrashed.
- Moana's board just broke.
- [Tehotu] Hers too?
- Yeah.
- [coach] It's not a forgiving wave.
[Moana] I'm like gassed
and I grab my board
and I'm like trying to
paddle out as fast as I can.
Moana's gotta get
out there for one more wave.
[announcer 2] There we go.
Splitting the peak. Pua going left.
- [announcer 2] Oh!
- [Dawson] Eh, see Pua, come on.
Next one, next one, get in line.
This is yours babe. This is yours!
[announcer] Sierra Kerr, going for it.
Long wall ahead. Still going!
Oh, she comes out! Oh my! What a ride!
We'll take a look at the replay here,
and just to make it official,
Sierra Kerr does drop in
on Puamakamae DeSoto.
Pua was in the prime position, you know,
Sierra Kerr should've looked back.
And that wave is not gonna count.
[announcer 2]
Yeah, that's, that's unfortunate.
- (horn blows)
- [announcer 2] Ah, I love this.
That's what you're
looking for right there.
[announcer 4] And that's it.
Moana and Pua looked good out there,
but just didn't do quite enough to
get into the top four to make the finals.
Hi Pua.
I was just glad to see Pua
activate in that heat and
get comfortable, catch waves,
take some, take some spills.
- It was good.
- (gentle music plays)
I'm just learning. I think
that's the biggest difference.
And now having Pipe, like I
was able to be happy out there.
Just, I told myself just have fun and to
push yourself and pull into barrels that
you may have not have pulled in before.
And I think I did that.
It makes me excited for next year.
Felt like I was hustling,
I was giving it my all
and whatever came at me,
I did the best that I could've done.
(indistinct chatter)
- I'm really bruised.
- Oh, where? Again?
- Over all over my...
- Again?
[Moana] Torso.
No, no, no, no from yesterday.
The only queen of Pipe is Pipe itself.
I don't think anybody deserves
that title except for Pipeline.
Overall this season has
been an amazing ride.
So many things in the past year has like
changed me as a person for the better.
My girl gang, my Pipe surfing, my
winnings, my success, my losses.
All of that has really shaped
me into a better person.
(upbeat serene music plays)
- Hi guys!
- Hi!
Thanks for coming.
Good job at Pipe, you guys.
- (unintelligible chatter fades)
- (music continues)
So of course it's not the result that
I wanted out at Pipe.
And my ribs are still sore
but it could have been way worse, so.
- You scared the crap outta me.
- Yeah you pulled into like...
- You came up all shaky.
- I'm you're glad you're okay.
- [Maluhia] Yeah.
- I was so nervous going out.
Right when I hit the water
I was like, "Oh it's really big".
- And then I got really nervous.
- I wasn't able to do it this year,
but I'm looking forward
to doing it next year and
hopefully gaining more experience
at Pipe throughout the winter.
- Come surf with us, come join us.
- I think you had an amazing season and
you kind of proved to yourself that
you can be one of the top
women surfers in the world.
- Thank you, Moana.
- [all] Yeah.
I think that you and Pua are gonna have
a lot of breakthrough performances.
It was amazing to see you
on stage at (indistinct).
And speaking Hawaiian and
our Olelo Hawaii
and sharing that with the world.
It was special and...
- Yeah.
- We applaud you for it
and I'm so proud of you and
thankful that you can continue that on.
And I'm happy I get
to compete with someone
who also can Olelo Hawaii and
other native Hawaiian women.
- It's special.
- [Pua] It's super special, yeah.
- It's amazing.
- I'm excited.
Well, I hope you guys are
really proud of yourselves
because honestly all of you
did amazing the whole season.
(speaking foreign language)
I think you're a huge
role model for any like,
native Hawaiian girl or girl in general.
'Cause you're so strong
mentally to go through
everything you've went
through this past year and
I could like start crying right now,
but I'm, I like, I'm so proud of you.
(Moana laughing)
I'm so proud of us and how far we've come
and the best is yet to come.
(girls singing in foreign language)
(waves crashing)
(upbeat music)
This year was kind of a big year for me.
I'm excited to compete and travel
on the Challenger Series next season.
I love my home but I really
want to go somewhere and
experience the rest of the world.
I want to continue competitive surfing and
continue representing
Hawaii, Olelo Hawaii and
Hawaiian culture on the
highest stage of surfing.
(gentle music)
After Pipe I had like a little spark
and joy of surfing big waves
and my big goal is to travel around
and go to places that I've never been,
surf waves I've never got
the opportunity to surf.
I'm really excited to see where my surfing
is at the end of the year.
Also, I'm partnering with
one of my best friends
to start a business together.
I think this year is a big
year for new challenges and
I'm ready to ride that wave.
(music continues)
My goals are still to win
a world title like my dad
and I also wanna go off and
win an Olympic gold medal.
But I've realized whether it's
with surfing or with life,
my parents will always be there for me.
And I've realized over
the last couple months
that my goals are to also love myself
and who I am and who I wanna be.
You know, I really wanna find the joy
throughout it all. And just love it.
My knee injury was a really, really
good way to shift my perspective on
things that I really
prioritize in my life.
And I got accepted to the
PhD program at UH Manoa.
It's much easier to live
the life that I want to
if I'm able to blend surfing and science
and environmentalism and
Hawaiian culture together.
And it makes me really
fulfilled and happy.
(music continues)
Looking into the future
what excites me the most
is the Challenger Series that's coming up.
I'm super excited to
compete around the world
and try to qualify for
the championship tour.
That's the ultimate goal.
I've never had a group of female surfers
that I was so close to until now.
Like I've only had boy buddy
friends to go surfing with,
and they're not the same.
Having a girl gang is like
the best thing ever. I am just like,
this is what I've been missing
out this whole time on.
Like I'm so thankful
that finally have this.
(gentle music crescendos)
(upbeat music)