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"\"&lt;figure id=\\\"attachment_1000093512\\\" style=\\\"width: 600px\\\" class=\\\"wp-caption aligncenter\\\"&gt;&lt;img class=\\\"size-full wp-image-1000093512\\\" title=\\\"Pipeline\\\" src=\\\"\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/2010\\/01\\/pipeline-contest-090577.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"The Proving Grounds, Pipeline. Now home to Volcom's first ever ASP event. Photo: Bielmann\\/SPL\\\" width=\\\"600\\\" height=\\\"400\\\" \\/&gt;&lt;figcaption class=\\\"wp-caption-text\\\"&gt;The Proving Grounds, Pipeline. Now home to Volcom&amp;#39;s first ever ASP event. Photo: Bielmann\\/SPL&lt;\\/figcaption&gt;&lt;\\/figure&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;After a short holiday hiatus, the &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.aspworldtour.com\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;ASP&lt;\\/a&gt; World Qualifying Series is back in action. Ushering in the new decade at the world\\u2019s most iconic surf break will be the 5-star Volcom Pipeline Pro\\u2014&lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/aspworldtour.com\\/2009\\/news_show.asp?rEvent=&amp;amp;rcode=13547\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;Volcom\\u2019s first ASP sanctioned event ever&lt;\\/a&gt;.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;With the infamous &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/volcomprovinggrounds.com\\/\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;Pipe house&lt;\\/a&gt; donned with Volcom stones, the best talent strutting the beach, and all the bruddahs, &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.volcom.com\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;Volcom&lt;\\/a&gt; is entering the world of ASP events in &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.volcom.com\\/news\\/article.asp?articleID=4178\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;a way only they can&lt;\\/a&gt;. Offering up $120k and an early season points-gaining opportunity for Hawaiian locals, the Volcom Pipeline Pro is going to prove to be a great addition to the WQS. Plus it\\u2019s at Pipeline\\u2014what more excitement could you ask of a \\u2018QS event?&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Be sure to check out all the live action at &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.volcom.com\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;Volcom.com&lt;\\/a&gt; starting January 23rd, and check out &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/volcomprovinggrounds.com\\/\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;Volcom\\u2019s Proving Grounds&lt;\\/a&gt; for a behind-the-scenes look at the North Shore world.&lt;br \\/&gt;\\n&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nWe give you picks from some top pros and bros, as well as our own insight. But we want to hear who you\\u2019re taking. Let us know in the comments below.&lt;\\/strong&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;script src=\\\"http:\\/\\/player.ooyala.com\\/player.js?height=336&amp;amp;width=600&amp;amp;embedCode=xoYjIyMTqUpb-3hVWuOAi668g11w3BXY\\\"&gt;&lt;\\/script&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\n&lt;\\/strong&gt;&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt; CJ Hobgood&lt;\\/strong&gt;&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; History would show that the first time a surf company does an event for the first time in a particular spot it always seems like a rider for that company wins the event. Don&amp;#8217;t know why just happens all the time\\u2014Jordy Smith won Tasmania last year and the list goes on and on from my experience through the years. So the winner will be a Volcom guy in this case Bruce Irons.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; David Giddings&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Evan Valeire&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Koby Abberton&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Bruce Irons all the way, mate.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; The shocker will be how perfect the waves are\\u2014I hope it\\u2019s massive.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Mark Healey or Jaime Sterling if it\\u2019s big.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Daren Crawford: &lt;em&gt;Filmmaker, DJ, Hype Man, Dancer, North Shore legend.&lt;\\/em&gt;&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Bruce Irons! It\\u2019s just a gut feeling, I know he\\u2019s gonna win.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; When Bruce beats Dusty and makes fun of him all night after that.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Tyler Newton, he put on a show out here couple of years ago\\u2014he\\u2019s got really good wave selection.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Christian Fletcher (&lt;em&gt;Also wants to remind you to check out &lt;a href=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.christianfletchersurf.com\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\"&gt;christianfletchersurf.com&lt;\\/a&gt;&lt;\\/em&gt;)&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Bruce, he\\u2019s the best guy out there and he also has the right sticker on his board\\u2014kind of how &lt;em&gt;TransWorld SURF&lt;\\/em&gt; picks the guy who\\u2019s gonna be on their newest cover.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; I should be in it and it should be at night.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Everybody else.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Chris Cote&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Of all the contests at Pipe, the Volcom comp (formerly the Monster Energy Pro) seems like it always gets the best conditions and waves. Picking a winner is messed up because there are so many good Pipe surfers in it. I\\u2019m gonna take the easy way out and say that an Irons brother is going to win it.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; The winner will donate all his prize money to Pancho Sullivan\\u2019s daughter\\u2019s medical bills\\u2014that would be awesome.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Nearly every dude in this is a darkhorse if you think about it. John John could win, but if you want a real darkhorse, watch out for a Bra Boy (Mark Mathews) or a local (Makua Rothman) to take it.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Casey Koteen&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; If it\\u2019s big, proper Pipe (which it probably will be), I\\u2019m going with Andy Irons. If it\\u2019s more Backdoor rights, Dusty Payne will kick his year off right.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Hank Gaskell will make the finals. That\\u2019s not a shocker, the fact that he still doesn\\u2019t have a sponsor is.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; If it\\u2019s big, Evan Valiere will have a great event. So will Flynn Novak, even though he\\u2019s not really a darkhorse anymore after making the quarter at the Billabong Pipe Masters this year.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Aaron Checkwood&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; I think it\\u2019s easy who\\u2019s gonna win: Sunny. I think the whole ordeal at the Masters fired him up to show everyone what would have happened\\u2014a win. Go Sunny!&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; I\\u2019ll be shocked if this event doesn\\u2019t get crazy-ass waves. Why not?&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; I think the Hana boys are gonna make another big splash. Hank Gaskell (is he sponsored yet?) or Ola Eleogram will showcase that freakish Maui talent.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Justin Cote&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; In massive second reef Pipe, Andy Irons will mark his return to competitive surfing in grandiose fashion.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; 17-year old super grom John John Florence is gonna make some dudes consider retiring from pro surfing after he tears through a bunch of heats.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; 40-year old Sunny Garcia is pissed after being barred from the Pipe Masters, look for a big result from him especially if Backdoor is firing. On a side note, I\\u2019d advise his fellow Volcom Pipe Pro competitors against getting into a paddle battle with him.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Carl Steindler&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Bruce. Nobody&amp;#8217;s better than him at Pipe and Backdoor when it&amp;#8217;s on, and I know it will be for this contest. Plus he has no added pressure to chase points or do well. He&amp;#8217;s just gonna surf each heat like it&amp;#8217;s his last and dominate.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Gavin Gillette. Took down Parko at the Pipe Masters and I think he will continue to knock some big names out of this event as well. He just cruises under the radar, and then&amp;#8230;BAM!&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Chris Ward. He surfs really well here and has posted solid results in the past. If it&amp;#8217;s really big and hollow at Backdoor then I&amp;#8217;m gonna put some money on Wardo to pull in and emerge victorious. If not, then he can easily switch gears and go the high performance route too.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;h3&gt;Ryan Brower&lt;\\/h3&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Winner:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Dusty Payne\\u2019s playing with the big boys now and wants to go into Snapper with a big \\u2018QS win under his belt. Don\\u2019t forget about the brothers Irons either though.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shocker:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Anyone who surfs against John Florence is gonna be left scratching their head.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Darkhorse:&lt;\\/strong&gt; Lets see: Gavin Gillette, Hank Gaskell, and Clay Marzo are gonna bring some other island heat to the North Shore.&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.grindtv.com/surf/preview-volcom-pipeline-pro/>