The Pick-Up Is Back, And We’ve Got Some Insider Tips For This Hawaiian Season

Welcome back to The Pick-Up, our (sometimes) weekly North Shore news show. We’ve just returned to Oahu for yet another winter of vibrant cultural extraction — and yes, this time we actually got a pick-up truck.

In episode one, we’ll discuss the second iteration of the digital Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the first of which saw John Florence and Carissa Moore cruise to well-deserved victories.

The sign-up period for the 2021/22 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing has just opened, giving surfers 31 days (Nov 15 – Dec 15) to put themselves in legal contention for a crown. Once their names are in the proverbial hat, surfers will have one full month (December 21 – January 21) to get their best two waves at each of the three iconic VTCS venues: Haleiwa, Sunset, and Pipeline.

That means six waves apiece will decide the best male and female surfer on the North Shore this winter. There are no jerseys, clocks, or air horns — it’s just you vs. the ocean for an entire month. Can you make it happen?

You can find the sign-up page on vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com. There are 126 total slots, to be shared between male and female competitors, and the entry fee is $125. All proceeds will go toward local Hawaiian charities.

This year, however, there is one major rule change: one of your six counting waves must be completed on a “progressive craft”. What does that mean? Well…unusual shapes, strange fin assortments, maybe a modified skimboard? 

Think of it like this: the more audacious the craft relative to the wave you surf it on, the higher you’ll be scored. So, max points would come from successfully threading an Alaia through a Pipe bomb.

So sign up here, and get