 |
| Kieren Perrow Big Takeoff at Pipe 2011 |
For those that don’t know the back story on the winner of
this event, Kieren Perrow, here is a little insight into his win here in Pipe.
Kieren, a Byron Bay local and surfers for the ASP has always been a standout at
the infamous break on the North Shore of Oahu. Last year Kieren made it to the
final against the Reunion Island young up and comer Jeremy Flores. Kieren was
inform in 2010 to take out the Pipe Masters, however a bad wave selection and a
switch of priority gave Jeremy the wave which sealed the victory for Flores.
However, 2011 came around and Kieren now looking at a harder
challenge of trying to requalify to make the tour for 2012. Kieren needed to
make the quarter finals to secure his spot for next year. This is not an easy
task when he drew Pipe veteran, Shane Dorian and Pipe winner for 2009, Taj
Burrow for his round 4 heat. However, within the last 5 minutes of the heat, Kieren
needing a high score found a wave, one which was so big that most human beings
would be paddle for their lives to get away from it; however Kieren stroked into
it and rode it like a true Pipemaster. He secured the heat win and his spot on
tour for 2012.
Now, Kieren goes on to make the final against fellow Aussie,
and 3 times Triple Crown winner, Joel Parkinson. Although Kieren is probably
one of the best big wave surfers on tour, he is also a much grounded family man
and travels most of the year with his family to all of the events. Not only
does he have good solid values and sense of courtesy and respect that most
surfers in general lack, he also works hard behind the scenes to help better
the sport of surfing and sits on the board of the ASP to represent the surfers
to the professional surfing event organisers – not an easy task. With all of
this in mind, Kieren has never won an ASP World Tour Event. He has been on and
off tour a few times and has had to work hard to secure his spot amongst the world’s
best surfers. But ask any Tour surfer and they will tell you that Kieren is one
of the biggest chargers on tour and is a great competitor.
So Kieren has a huge
task at hand, he does not want a second at Pipe again. His wife is nervous and
everyone in the competitor’s area is nervous for him. Kelly Slater gives Kieren
some last words of encouragement, he says, ‘no more bridesmaid, you win this.’
For Perrow, a 3rd or a 5th would be better than a 2nd
after his Pipe final loss a year ago. So Joel and KP paddle out. The heat
starts and Kieren starts the heat with two good scores leaving Joel on the back
foot chasing a score. Joel strokes into a couple of bombs that look too good,
however, he just can’t find an exit and as the time ticks down it looks as
though Kieren has sealed the deal. Joel needs a 9, he finds a wave at backdoor
that could be the score, the wave stretches out and unfortunately Parko can’t
get through it. The horn sounds to signal the end of the heat and Kieren Perrow
wins to 2011 Billabong Pipeline Masters. A well deserved win!
