Traci Effinger has taken out the 2019 Surf N Sea Pipeline Women's Pro, at Banzai Pipeline, in the North Shore of Oahu, in Hawaii.
The prestigious event dates back to 1990 and was initially designed to be a women's bodyboarding contest. Later, shortboard and longboard divisions were added to the line-up.
The competition honors the life of Josie Over (1942-1992), a California actress and bodyboarder who moved to Oahu and became a prolific Polynesian dance specialist.
Josie's husband, Don Over, set up a fund in her memory in the form of a Pipeline contest for wahine.
This year, the ocean conditions were challenging with waves ranging from clean six foot in the morning to tricky ten-foot sets in the afternoon.
A Day To Remember
Traci Effinger was the stand-out rider of the event. The experienced bodyboarder not only won her division but also scored the wave of the contest.
"Every dog has their day. I started bodyboarding after I graduated from college. I never got in the ocean before that. No one showed me how to bodyboard. I never got pushed into waves or had parents or friends teach me how the ocean worked," explained Effinger.
"I almost drown, a lot. After about six months, I learned how to ride a wave. After about a year, I got my first barrel closeout. I entered a contest. I lost. Miserably. I didn’t know there were other bodyboard girls that could do tricks."
"I started riding The Wedge alone and was the only girl out there. I habitually rode it while concurrently getting my masters degree. Then, I moved to Hawaii eight years ago for my career."
"I started paddling out at Pipe alone four or five years ago and sat a little deeper and went a little bigger each year."
"Then, this past Tuesday, I won the Pipeline Women’s Pro and went up against legendary international and champions in multiple rounds of competition. And so, I will repeat it, every dog has their day. Tuesday was mine," concluded Traci Effinger.
Dreams are made of this.
2019 Surf N Sea Pipeline Women's Pro | Final
Bodyboarding
1. Traci Effinger (HAW)
2. Jessica Becker (BRA)
3. Ayaka Suzuki (JAP)
4. Agaiko Shiotsuki (JAP)
Shortboarding
1. Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
2. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
3. Candelaria Resano (NIC)
4. Luana Silva (HAW)
Longboarding
1. Kirra Seale (HAW)
2. Mason Schremmer (HAW)
3. Jamilah Star (HAW)
4. Raquel Heckart (BRA)