Kelly Slater’s job at Pipe got a little harder today

Today, the Billabong Pipe Masters finished round one of competition, and Kelly Slater did not come out best-off. With Kelly, Mick Fanning and Gabriel Medina (the three world title hopefuls) surfing back to back heats, the picture everybody wants to see began to sharpen its edges: While Mick and Gabriel both won their heats (with really low scores, but a win’s a win), Kelly was relegated to round two thanks to a late and very great flurry from Adam Melling. Although Kelly’s hopes for a title are over as soon as Gabs gets past the third round, things will now just be one heat harder for the Floridian should Gabs lose in round three. Just in case you need a reminder: – If Medina finishes 2nd or better at the Billabong Pipe Masters, he will clinch the 2014 ASP World Title. – If Medina finishes 3rd at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Fanning will need to win the event and Slater will be out of contention. – If Medina finishes 5th at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Fanning will need to win the event and Slater will be out of contention. – If Medina finishes 9th at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Fanning will need to finish 2nd or better and Slater will be out of contention. -If Medina finishes 13th or 25th at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Fanning will need to finish 3rd to win or 5th to send the title race into a one-heat “surf-off” between himself and Medina. – If Medina finishes 13th or 25th at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Slater will need to win the event. And so, hopefully tomorrow, something else will happen that might provide further clarity as to who’ll have a big cup in their lap on the flight home from Honolulu airport. If you know what’s good for you, then you’ll go watch John John Florence’s game in Heats On Demand to pass the time in between. Billabong Pipe Masters Round 1 Results (1st to R3, 2nd and 3rd to R2):Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.83, Glenn Hall (IRL) 4.26, Julian Wilson (AUS) 1.23Heat 2: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 14.13, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 4.77, Michel Bourez (PYF) 2.90Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) 18.16, Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 3.34, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 2.23Heat 4: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.90, Kelly Slater (USA) 15.80, Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.84Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.16, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 9.27, Makai McNamara (HAW) 2.20Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 6.50, Reef McIntosh (HAW) 5.10, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 3.30Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.30, Jadson Andre (BRA) 3.90, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 2.07Heat 8: Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.77, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 7.50, Travis Logie (ZAF) 0.00Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.10, Brett Simpson (USA) 9.63, Kai Otton (AUS) 1.67Heat 10: Owen Wright (AUS) 17.50, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.07, Mitch Crews (AUS) 8.50Heat 11: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.94, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 12.90, Nat Young (USA) 1.90Heat 12: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.20, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 3.23, Tiago Pires (PRT) 1.63 Billabong Pipe Masters Round 2 Match-Ups (1st to R3, 2nd = 25th):Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Reef McIntosh (HAW)Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Makai McNamara (HAW)Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)Heat 4: Nat Young (USA) vs. Mitchel Coleborn (AUS)Heat 5: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)Heat 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL)Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)Heat 9: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Mitch Crews (AUS)Heat 10: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Dion Atkinson (AUS)Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Aritz Aranburu (ESP)