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REISSUING PIPE
After failing to obtain a permit for Pipeline last year, the Women's Pipeline Pro has made a community-benefiting comeback
By:
Darlene Conolly
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March 25, 2009
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Pipe is back and it's richer than ever.
After a year-long hiatus, the Pipeline Tidal 9 Pro Benefit for Girl Scouts has returned to the ASP Women's WQS schedule with a 4-Star rating, meaning it now touts a $25,000 prize purse.
Although there's plenty of prize money to go around this year, last year's contest completely fell through when the event's organizer, Betty Depolito, was denied the necessary permit for Pipe. And since there are limited days that allow for competition at the famed Pipeline, there's a meager and strict supply of permits. |
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The City and County of Honolulu never officially stated why it denied Depolito the Ehukai Beach Park and Pipeline permit but a press release explained that the decision was made based on a point system that rates events on a number of different aspects. Apparently, there's a certain portion of points dedicated to the community service an event offers the public and that's where Depolito's event was lacking. "I'm not 100 percent sure why I didn't get a permit last year," says Depolito. "It goes by a point scale and we are low in a couple areas. For example, I got a point deduction because my portable toilet was not there on time the year before." "No matter how small, Pipeline is still a challenge like no other."
-- Betty Depolito, Women's Pipeline Tidal 9 Pro event organizer
If it was a deficiency in community service that the women's Pipe event was lacking, then Depolito certainly picked up the slack in planning and proposing her 2009 event. "Our theme is organic and open spaces," says Depolito. "We have to protect our land and keep the country country so we're doing this as a benefit for the Girls Scouts of Hawai`i to keep their camp at Paumalu open and green, and it will be an ongoing project. This event is all thanks to community-minded people and volunteers. Heather Brown is donating a painting that we will auction off. Things like this are key!" Not only does Depolito hope to better the Hawaiian community by protecting its undeveloped spaces, but she also gave the event a name that holds a great amount of significance in the history of women's liberation. "The Pipeline Tidal 9 Pro will be dedicated to women leaders who helped to make surfing what it is today," says Depolito. "One of those women was Patsy Mink. She was a spitfire of a congresswoman from the State of Hawaii. She was instrumental in providing equal opportunity in schools by drafting Title IX along with Dr. Donnis Thompson and several other women. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is now more commonly known simply as Title IX. So the 'Tidal 9' portion of the name is a play on words, an idea by Girls Scouts to acknowledge leaders in our community." The months of hard work that went into making the Pipeline Tidal 9 Pro happen have finally paid off with some of the best female pro surfers signing up to compete. Pipe chargers like Megan Abubo, Keala Kennelly, Rochelle Ballard, Claire Bevilacqua, Bethany Hamilton and Carissa Moore will certainly show how it's done. "No matter how small, Pipeline is still a challenge like no other," says Depolito. "It's not for everyone but there are some girls that want to surf Pipe. They want the same rush as anyone else." MORE WOMENS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |