Gomes: Beating best
no pipe dream

The Makaha surfer eliminates
five-time world champion Slater
in the Pipe Masters

By Greg Ambrose
Star-Bulletin

Makaha's Johnny Boy Gomes yesterday showed the surfing world what he has known all along -- that he can outsurf the world's best surfer.

In clean three- to five-foot tubes in the Chiemsee Gerry Lopez Pipe Masters, Gomes beat Kelly Slater. Twice.

That's five-time world champion Kelly Slater. Four-time Pipe Masters champion Kelly Slater. Triple Crown of Surfing champion Kelly Slater.

Gomes beat Slater twice in one day, something no one has done in recent memory.

"I've been waiting all year for this day," an elated Gomes said. "I knew deep in my heart and soul that I could beat him. It's just the beginning."

A maddening 10-minute lull -- when the ocean went to sleep -- delayed the much-anticipated heat between Gomes and Slater in the second round (both advanced from the same three-man heat in the first round, which Gomes also won). But once the waves showed up, the action never stopped, and the spectators were constantly on their feet as the lead went back and forth with each ride.

Gomes took the lead with his first quick left tube, which Slater surpassed with a backside barrel. Gomes answered with an amazing deep barrel at Backdoor Pipeline for a near-perfect score of 9.9.

Slater faltered by not making it out of two deep barrels on consecutive waves. But he gained ground with a deep tube ride at Backdoor on a small right, then regained the lead with a deep tube.

Gomes got the lead back with a deep backside rail-grab tube at Pipeline. With six minutes left in the heat, Slater needed a 7.9 wave to retake the lead, but plugged into a deep pit at Backdoor and never emerged.

Gomes responded with a deep backside barrel at Pipeline and squeaked out of the tube as the whip came down, leaving Slater deeper in the hole.

With four minutes left, Slater needed a double wave combination of 10.9 to win. But the ocean went back to sleep, and with only 20 seconds remaining, Slater shook Gomes' hand to admit defeat.

"Surfing at Backdoor and Pipe against Johnny, you can't make mistakes, and I fell down in four barrels," Slater said.

"I've had a good run of luck here, and it finally ran out."

Hawaii surfers Sunny Garcia, Kalani Robb, Kaipo Jaquias, Ross Williams, Shane Dorian and Michael Ho also are still in the running for the Pipe Masters title.

For contest information, call 638-5024.