Jamie O’Brien burning Kelly Slater, Pipeline, Hawaii

Reckon Jamie O’Brien is a dominant force at Pipeline? He’s certainly comfortable enough out there to not discriminate when it comes to who he burns. Even when it’s surfing royalty, 11-times world champ Kelly Slater. At the start of the year, this exact scenario was played-out in similar conditions at Pipe. Much back-and-forth-ing ensued via Twitter (even though Jamie don’t write his own Tweets). And sure enough, on the first day that Pipe turns on for the ’11/’12 winter, on Kelly’s first surf out there for the year, Jamie fades the champ again.

“Kelly then went on to take donuts on the following two waves,” says photog Ryan Miller. “Not sure if he was rattled or not, but I imagine he was.” And, what did Jamie’s Twitter account have to say about it? Certainly no words of apology: “@kellyslater you should have pulled in behind me??”

The Billabong Pro, Pipeline is on, live, right now – get over there and watch men throw themselves over the ledge of 10-12 footers.