Vans Triple Crown Of Surfing - Information On Oahu Haleiwa, Hawaii

The North Shore is the Mecca for surfing. People travel from all over the world to take on these waves during the winter. It's not uncommon to have 20-30 foot swells at Banzai Pipeline / 'Ehukai Beach Park or Sunset Beach.

There are 3 main events in North Shore surfing in the winter time. The Reef Hawaiian Pro, The Vans World Cup of Surfing, and finally, my favorite, the Billabong Pipe Masters. The Reef Hawaiian Pro is held at Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park and is the first event in the Van's Triple Crown of Surfing.

The second event in the series is the Vans World Cup of Surfing. This is held at Sunset Beach. Sunset Beach is known for having big steep waves which are long and shifty. It's can be a challenging environment for the best of surfers. The final event in the Triple Crown of Surfing is the Billabong Pipe Masters. Pipeline has the hollowest tube of any surfing location on Oahu. The barrels are long, and watching the surfers get spit out of the tube is breathtaking to watch.

As a surfer, I give this event five stars. However as a spectator who may be interested in watching this event, it may be too crowded, and the traffic might be unbearable. North shores locals have learned to live with these events. To get anywhere it takes forever. When I was driving to the North Shore at 6:30AM, there was a line backed up a mile from Banzai Pipeline / 'Ehukai Beach Park. I had to park my car at Sharks Cove and walk about a mile. After watching and snapping some shots for a few hours, I took off before the crowds all left. Heading toward Haleiwa early wasn't too bad, but unbelievably, the line toward windward side was still backed up! If every free spot is taken up, you can pay $10 to park at some places.

The final day of the ASP, there here was a high surf advisory issued. Epic. But for spectators, there are some things to be aware of when watching from the shoreline. Take your valuables from your car. It's just a smart thing to do. Hopefully I don't need to explain why but in case you didn't know North Shore has a high incidence of car theft of car break-ins. Second if you're going to go to the event, I recommend leaving early. Arrived at or below it before 7 AM.

Third if it is a big wave day, and surf is going from low to high, watch out near the wave line near the coastline near the people lose slippers ruin cell phones. And watch your little keikis so they stay way back away from the smooth sand. Really, it's scary to see these little kids near the smooth sand on high surf days.

Fourth, wear sunscreen. Hawaii has intense sunlight, so if you're sensitive to the sun, wear a big hat and sunscreen. Finally wear your shorts, bring your camera and beach towel and sit down and enjoy it. It's really one of the great events that takes place on the North Shore.