It's hard to understand why Filipe Toledo isn't in Hawaii waiting for the Volcom Pipe Pro to start. He knows, the critics know, his fans know, everyone knows that his main flaw, what keeps him from the world title, is learning to surf that wave, which is nothing more and nothing less than the queen of waves.

He has the opportunity to do a first-class workout there, with three other people in the water, and he wastes it.

It's one thing to say that it's impossible for him to go surf Pipe when there are 800 people in the water in December, but now, he can go surf with no one there, and gain experience, learn and learn and learn, which is what everyone says is key to winning at Banzai. But he doesn't do it.

It's not a minor point, you have to look at what his compatriot, Adriano de Souza, did to become world champion and his relationship with the Volcom Pipe Pro: The year before winning the title, he went, competed and made it to the final. And that year the waves were impressive, with solid 8 feet that had a supreme Kelly winning the event.

Plus, of course, he asked Jamie O'Brien for help. He gave it to him and everything ended up working out fine. Not only that, but Adriano kept going to the event, going from fourth to second in 2017. His Pipe skills definitely improved.

Filipe, who had made a gesture similar to De Souza for Teahupoo, going there and leaving part of his back on the reef, is not doing the same with Banzai. He has chosen never to compete in the QS at Pipe and is paying dearly for that decision. What is he doing saying he wants to be world champion surfing in the Maldives or, at this moment, at home in California? Until he puts time into Banzai, it will be very difficult for him to win the title.