(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) rescendos)