16 year old Finn McGill has won the Pipeline Invitational, making him the youngest surfer to win it since John John Florence claimed victory at the age of 8 in 2010. Just kidding. Finny is the youngest, by far. He didn’t win by packing no-handed outer reef bombs but rather in weird, shifty Pipeline against Gavin Beschen, Joshua Moniz, and Victor Bernardo.
Finny was sitting in 4th place with 1:15 to go in his Semifinal heat when he snuck into a Backdoor gem for a 9.5 and the heat win.
He met wildcard invite and Pipe Master Gavin Beschen in the finals. Beschen, at 41 years of age, was putting on a tube riding clinic all day after being Bruce Irons replacement in the event. Beschen ended up 2nd in the Final and will join Finny in the Pipe Masters
Victor Bernardo was ripping all day, pulling air reverses at Backdoor but ultimately couldn’t stick the drops and connect the dots and placed 4th overall.
Finn Mcgill ensured victory with 10 minutes left by dropping into one of the biggest sets of the day and exiting behind the curtain for a 8.60. He had comboed all the competitors for the rest of the heat and sat patiently while his friends from Sunset Elementary and the rest of the North Shore crowned the kid.
