Special coverage of the event presented by Red Bull - Don't miss the live broadcast of the event on DUKE from January 29 to February 10

Today begins the waiting period for one of the most attractive events on the annual QS calendar, for the simple reason that the queen of the waves, Banzai Pipeline is available only to 144 of the most talented and courageous tube riders on the planet.

Below are five important facts to keep in mind about the history of the event.

The curse of the goofy footers

In 10 editions of the Volcom Pipe Pro not a single regular footer won and in all the editions of the QS Pipe (formerly HIC Pipe Pro and then Monster Energy Pro) held so far this millennium only two goofies have won: Carlos Cabrero in 2000 and Rob Machado in 2006.

Absolute record of Hawaiian victories, and by far

The Hawaiian has won the event four times in the 10 years the championship has been running and locals have the majority of the wins, with six of the 10 (Jamie O'Brien won in 2010 and Josh Moniz in 2018.

Considering the 34 years of championships held (none were held in 2009), Hawaiian dominance is huge, with 26 of 34 editions won.

A single Latin American victory

Carlos Cabrero was the only Latino to ever win at Pipe in this event. For that final, the Puerto Rican said that the stars aligned; with seven minutes to go, he needed a high score, and the wave came and he scored a 9,6. “It was the longest seven minutes of my entire career,” he told DUKE in an interview.

A key championship to win the world title (and Filipe Toledo doesn't realize it or doesn't want to see it)

Aware that he would not be world champion if he did not learn to surf heavy waves, Adriano de Souza, who was already a top CT surfer, was not achieving significant results on the queen of waves.

In 2013 he finished the year in 13th position, he had won a stage but his inconsistency in heavy waves was clearly his weak point. He placed 13th in the Pipe Masters that year and  at  weeks he returned to Hawaii to put time into Pipeline  and compete in the Volcom Pipe Pro where he finished fourth.

The following year he finished eighth (due to injury he was unable to compete in the Pipe Masters) and the following year he was world champion and became the first Brazilian to win at Pipe.

A strategy that could easily be repeated by Filipe Toledo, who is accused of lacking experience and confidence in heavy waves as a major weakness.

The forecast looks too good

Surfline specialists indicate that there will be a four-day stretch, starting today, Wednesday, and lasting through Saturday and even Sunday, in which a well-directed swell for Pipe will hit the most famous reef in the world.

The winds seem to be a challenge on Saturday and Sunday but they still make them possible championship days.

Read more about the forecast here