Former champion Jack Robinson has pulled off one of the waves of the day at Banzai Pipeline as competition got underway in the World Surf League’s season-opening event in Hawaii.
The Greek Australian from WA, who won an Olympic silver medal last year, started with a bang as surfers took to the water in the Pipe Pro after a two-day delay.
With waves between one and two metres on the North Shore of O’ahu, Robinson, who won the Pipe event in 2023, opened with a barrel that scored 8.00, which was the highest of the first round.
Lining up against compatriot Liam O’Brien and Alan Cleland, who is the first Mexican ever to compete full-time on Championship Tour, Robinson kept busy and added a 5.10 from his seven waves for a convincing win.
“At Pipeline you’ve trying to be safe and respect the wave,” said 27-year-old Robinson.
“It’s been a long time I’ve been coming here, like 16 or 17 years, and every time you go out there you respect it, but that was a beautiful way to start.”
Robinson has also been named a finalist for the SportWest WA Sport Star of the Year award.
With AAP
