Jamie O'Brien scores a seed in IBA Grand Slam at Pipe

Source: www.ibaworldtour.com

posted on 11th February 2009

In one of the most extraordinary twists in modern Pro surfing, Pipeline local Jamie O'Brien has been granted a start in the seeded rounds of the Turbo Bodyboards Pipeline Pro.

This is the first event on the International Bodyboarding Association Men's World Tour for 2009 and carries a Grand Slam status as well as double points towards the championship.

International General Manager of the IBA Terry McKenna says that O'Brien started his surfing career on a bodyboard as a kid before making the transition to fibreglass.

"Apparently Jamie was into it when he was younger and still feels keen enough about it to have a start in the event. Word on the street is that he can still hold his rail in and ride deep in the barrel at Pipe, so it will be amazing to watch " said McKenna.

"Jamie is one of the most innovative surfers in the world and an astounding waterman so I would not put it past him to blow some minds at his home break."

"I can only imagine that this will be one of the most highly anticipated heats of the year and watched by everyone in the surfing community. It's a bold move and a first for the IBA " said McKenna.

Jamie O'Brien had a different sort of sandpit to play in as a child. His backyard was Pipeline and no one knows this break better than him. This is supported by the fact that he was the youngest surfer to ever win the Pipeline Masters ASP event and recently won the backdoor shootout.

O'Brien will be seeded into the rounds 33-80 in a field of 144.

The waiting period begins on Feb 17th and continues till Feb 27th with the best three days being used for competition.

The event is being webcast at www.ibaworldtour.com/live
More info www.ibaworldtour.com
Media enquiries [email protected]

Read the Surfing Magazine interview.

2198 views

Comments

Kevin WilliamsKevin Williams
16th February 2009 13:47
Andrew, follow this link
http://surf.transworld.net/2009/01/06/huge-arnettejamie-obrien-giveaway/
snoopsterAndrew Raath
16th February 2009 13:23
where can i see the photo of jamie O'Brien zapping spex???
and stuff im frothing for the event to start....GO SAFFAS
KellyKelly Footit
15th February 2009 15:37
If you're looking for the webcast, check the bottom of the article for the link.
KrugerNicholas Kruger
15th February 2009 02:09
The fact they seeded Jamie is BULLSHIT!! There's guys busting there balls in every way, shape and form to get there and surf the comp just to get on the tour and try and hook a sponsorship. Then here comes Jamie who already gets major sponsorship money and all the guys are bending over back wards trying make sure he's in the comp and Seeded. It's a slap in the face for all the bodyboarders busting there balls to be there! Catch a wake up IBA. Yes it's great Jamie's giving it a go and stirring up some great publicity for bodyboarding, but t the same time you really should have thought this through a bit longer! There are many more ways you could have incorporated Jamie into this event! Many more and far more marketable ways that would ensure big turn outs on the beach and web. Hey and by the way I'm I like the only one who's seen that recent picture of Jamie zapping Spex at Pipe? The man hates bodyboarders!

Any way this being said I still look forward to viewing the event online! I wish Jamie the best of luck and I warn any rider that does happen to fall in his heat ...Not to think you gonna walk all over him. The man knows how to surf that wave and while the board might differ, reading waves doesn't! Plus if you do beat him he might have the Pipeline posse and the Wolfpak waiting for you on the beach! Ouch!
Ricky_BobbyRyan Williams
14th February 2009 22:17
This is deffinately gonna be an epic comp. I was just wanting to know which website will have the webcast of the event (the IBA site or what?)
Anyway shot to our local boys for making the trip. hopefully you can make an impact.
BadgernipplesSimon Heale
14th February 2009 21:22
All i Can say is that im FROTHING to watch this comp on webcast!!!!
all the local o's must get on it and support our SA hombre's...
Kelly and whoever else, pls keep us updated on news about the heats when our boys are riding, just so everyone knows..Muuuuch thanx
Everyone, On it!
DONE!
KellyKelly Footit
14th February 2009 16:39
Ha ... hot topic at the moment hey. I'm with you but then again this is Pipe. It's a wave that will beat competitors before they even start thinking about the opposition and this guy knows the spot. At Pipe you can win by just getting barrelled and with watermen out there who are competent with switching disciplines it shouldn't be a surprise to see someone getting through a few heats. It shouldn't be unheard of to find a surfer who can bodyboard competently but there is definitely a difference between skill levels required to get pitted and the skills required to launch a huge invert, reverse air, ARS or back-flip. At Pipe though - you don't need to be able to do any of these moves.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the guy picking off a few of the best waves, getting a few pits and making it through his first heat at least.

This is not the first time it has happened. Just the most high profile bodyboarding comp it has happened in. In 2005, the other man in this raging topic, Kainoa McGee, beat off Rob Machado and Dane Reynolds on his way to a semi-final spot in the 4* Pipeline WQS. So if Jamie O'Brien gets anywhere in the comp it is really just settling an old score.

And news is that Kainoa has now been given a spot in the comp so all I can say is ... game on! Enjoy the show!
kruIan Kruger
14th February 2009 12:23
my 2 cents:

This will basically prove to the surfing world one of 2 things: that bodyboarding is either really easy (I think Jamie O has been on a bodyboard 4 times in the last year) or that it takes serious skill to do what we do.
Personally I feel its quite brave on Jamie's part and the only thing I hope is that he gets Hardy, Botha and Rawlins in his heat and he gets smoked, and then that he is man enough to eat humble pie and admit that bodyboarding takes serious skill (Which we all know)

Jamie is a very well respected surfer and this will go one of 2 ways, it will either buy bodyboarding more respect, or he will smoke his competotors and prove that bodyboarding is pretty easy and we'll be ridiculed forever.

Just my thoughts, lets see how it pans out.
Jared HoustonJared Houston
13th February 2009 11:19
hey james.
This has caused quite a big stir here on the north shore, the story goes that a hawaiian panel was asked to vote a list of local guys to be seeded into the event.
You can look at the list on ebodyboarding.com
Jamie o brien came out on top so he was allocated a seed, while kainoa came in at 12th out of 16.
Alot of people are pretty mad.
It could go either way, we could get some sick coverage,or we are gonna get mocked till our pants fall down.
I hope its the first one.
JmoJames Moolenschot
13th February 2009 10:51
I wonder how this happened. Surely, someone is going to end up looking stupid here and I hope its not the IBA...
MarthinusMarthinus Botha
11th February 2009 11:18
Irony at its very best..

International Bodyboarding Association News

International Bodyboarding Association
International Bodyboarding Association News

Turbo Bodyboards Pipeline Pro

Turbo Bodyboards Pipeline Pro
Event Page
Results
Gallery
McCarthy bags 5th place in the Turbo Pipeline Pro 09!
28th February 2009
Hardy wins the Pipeline Pro Grand Slam
25th February 2009
Day two fires at Pipe
24th February 2009
New swell expected for Pipe finish
22nd February 2009
Pipe fires on day one
18th February 2009
Day 1 set to go at Pipeline
16th February 2009
Turbo Bodyboards named as the 2009 Pipeline Pro headline sponsor
27th December 2008

Copyright © 2024 Sixty40 Bodyboarding. All rights reserved.