Eala Stewart had been having a flawless winter, surfing bombs at Pipe and Waimea with success on the biggest, most perfect days.

But in Hawaii the sea rules and in Pipe even more so. He paddled a row that he thought was going well but ended up being a knock. He said: "It was probably the worst knock I took in Pipe."

He said that since it was a bit late the day before, many people were hungry to go into the water, with the entire CT training for the Pipe Pro.

"I felt like I was going to do it," he said, but the water went out from under his board. He tried to complete the drop but couldn't do it and ended up feeling first the hit and then the tumble that made him hit the bottom on his back.

It was the first time he wore a helmet and in the middle of the punch he said that he thought about it: "This is why one wears a helmet here."