Ronnie Blakey and Ross Williams discuss the remarkable rise of this year's two Billabong Pipe Masters' finalists, Kanoa Igarashi and Michel Bourez. The Tahitian used timely wave selection and brute strength to muscle his way past Californian Kolohe Andino, who may have been the hottest surfer heading into the Semifinals. Igarashi got the jump on Kelly Slater early in their Semi clash. Capping off an incredible day, the teenager from Huntington Beach double qualified for the 2017 tour, jumping unexpectedly into a last-minute race for Rookie of the Year, and (by double qualifying) sent one of his best friends, Ezekiel Lau, onto next year's Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour.
