Pipeline, January 2013. Photo: Jeremiah Klein

After a wet, windy and wild start to the New Year, the weather pattern shifted more favorable by mid-month. And wouldn't you know it, North Shore's veteran cowboy Mike Ho was there to set the bar for the young guys at Backdoor. Video: Greg Browning

"I showed up at dark to watch it and then went to work [lifeguarding]," Dave Wassel said. "There were a few so I just went out to get one. I literally caught that wave and went back to the tower. From the moment I took off, until the moment I kicked out, I thought I wasn't going to make it. It had a radical drop, the lip hit the nose of my board, I went through two tube-monster foamballs and came out after the spit. On a scale of 1-10 for excitement that one was an 11.9. I think I claimed it...I'm still claiming." Video: Taylor Ivision, Pete Frieden, Logan Beam and Alexandre Paredes.

"The session was pretty quiet, as most of the boys weren't out and there was more space than normal in the crowd to find one," Kelly Slater said. "Lots of waves and with a new swell looming, it was really shallow and some double-ups. This one just peeled off Second Reef and I'd been waiting for a while. Graeme Kronewitter was paddling farther out, but just had one and yelled for me to go. I wanted to drag from takeoff, but a lot were just doubling up too much and I didn't want to get thrown like I did on a few others. Such a perfect wave. That's why we surf Pipe." Video: Taylor Ivision, Pete Frieden, Dan (DTREAN) Treanor, Tatiane Araujo and Tony Harrington.

"I was in the pit watching a wedge come at me and started thinking, 'how's this air section?'" Jamie O'Brien said. "I did the running man kick-out." Video: Brian Adam

"It was big with a lot of washthrough sets that day," Mark Healey said. "But I took out a smaller board for me (6'10") and sat on the inside ledge. This wave moved far in on the reef, under everybody, and was looking kind of wild and ripped out, but I gave it a go anyways. It ended up shaping up pretty good down the line after a couple of 'hail mary' pumps." Video: Marc Beaty, Logan Beam, Taylor Ivision and Tatiane Araujo.

"I just arrived in Hawaii this day and my friends told me it was big and weird," Jesse Mendes said. "The wind was going onshore and then offshore. But I saw Jeronimo [Vargas, here] get a gnarly, super deep one. I was psyched for him." Video: Alexandre Paredes and Tatiane Araujo.

Then it was Mendes' turn. "It was my first surf being back in Hawaii and I got washed in by a Second Reef set - it broke my board and leash before I even caught a wave," Jesse Mendes said. "When I paddled back out, this wide one came to me. The takeoff was super easy and it doubled up. I saw it was pinching on the end but knew I had to hold my line. The spit hit me and I was blind but the spit ended up holding the tube open and I came out." Video: Alexandre Paredes, Tatiane Araujo and Brian Adam.

After witnessing Slater's Pipeline spitter, Jamie O'Brien tried to mix it up. "I'm always trying to keep it fun and different," he laughed. Video: Pete Frieden and Brian Adam

"I caught the wave from the second reef right before sun went down," Takayuki Wakita said. "It had a nice wall coming down to the first reef and I pulled in deep and made it through the section. In the last part, the spit came hard and I couldn't see anything but it pushed me out. I was so stoked to be able to have one like that and make it." Video: Brian Adam, Tatiane Araujo and Tony Harrington.

Once it starts getting dark, most filmers pack it up and head out. With their vision slightly impaired, surfers start making their way in as well. It takes a dedicated surfer/filmer combo to hang around for something like this. We applaud you. Video: Dan (DTREAN) Treanor.

"That day was kinda messy and all over the place," Ezekiel Lau said. "It wasn't that big but I saw a few sneaker rights and I caught a couple. On the way back out, Dusty [Payne] looked at that one and let me go. I knew it was going to be a runner so I started pumping from the get go. I went through about three sections and just kept pumping. I think the wind held it open a little longer. At the end, I thought it was going to close but somehow I managed to bust through it." Video: Bruno Lemos.

"I was confused why they called off the [Volcom Pipe Pro] contest that day but I'm glad they did," Anthony Walsh said. "That thing wasn't a pretty wave; it was bumpy, backwashy, and super-tough to ride...which made it all the more rewarding when I made it. And thanks to Noah and Hugo for filming even though it was pouring rain!" Video: Noah Alani and Tatiane Araujo.

Most of the swells this winter - at one point or another - were washing out Pipeline. But on the upside and down of the peak, monster Pipe roll-ins were on offer. Sai Smiley, harnessing a wild one. Video: Noah Alani.

"I saw Tom [Dosland] and J.D. [Irons] on my left and Mark [Healey] on my right side and I wasn't going to let them get the wave -- I was going to drop in on one of them, guaranteed," Kawai Lindo said of this perfect 10 in the Volcom Pipe Pro. "I thought I wasn't going to make the drop but luckily I had four-fins. They're for the barrel and have a little more drive if you're really deep. I learned that from a living legend -- Michael Ho." Video: Kawai Lindo.