Laurie Towner, with dislocated shoulder, Hawaii

Yesterday in the ninth heat of round one at the Billabong Pipe Masters, wildcard Laurie Towner (pictured here under the shower at the Volcom house, post-heat with ice pack in-hand) surfed against Kolohe Andino. Pipe was 12-15 foot and, on his first wave (a bomb set) Laurie came unstuck on the takeoff and slid down the face of the cave, swallowed whole at the bottom.

After a lengthy hold-down, Laurie appeared with his arm in the air. He wore another wave on the head, was pulled onto the ski and taken to shore, where it became clear that he’d dislocated his shoulder. Medics popped it back in, he grabbed his gun and bolted back into the lineup. Before long he was back on the ski, punching the safety mat – his shoulder was back out. On the beach, Laurie lay on the ground while medics stood on him and again attempted to pop the limb back in. As an added bonus, he also sliced his leg and foot, the latter of which scooped him a fistful of stitches. His heat total came in at 1.17.

Which brings us to the moment y’see here. Laurie, a renowned big-wave surfer, with a golden ticket into the WT’s most prestigious event, held in swell of the year at Pipe, and he rips his shoulder out first heat, first wave. This photograph, captured by masterful lensman Steve Sherman, is a moment of pure frustration and pain.