Brett Barley Decoded

By: Jeff Mull | February 3rd, 2010 at 1:18am

Sometime in the mid-80s, a fella by the name of Rick Kane made his way out to HI from Arizona, shacked up with a shaper, and nearly won the Pipe Masters and gained the respect of the entire North Shore in the process. You've undoubtedly seen the movie we were just referencing, North Shore, but just about a week ago, fate took a twist eerily
similar to that of famed 80s surf celluloid when Brett Barley, an unknown surfer from North Carolina, collided headfirst with the Volcom Pipeline Pro and came out smiling more times than we can count.

Now, the North Shore is a far cry from the OBX, but you can rest assured that moments before Barley got his first 10, most of the beach and competitors alike weren't expecting much. A 10, a few 9s, and the highest heat score of the event later and we're looking at a newly dubbed "Gnarly Barley" and crowd favorite. Ever humble, the 20-year-old was reluctant to take into much of the praise after his initial 10-point performance at the Volcom Pipeline Pro.

"I didn't really have any expectations," said Barley. "I was just happy to go out there and surf with just a couple of guys - you never get that opportunity out here. All I wanted to do was catch waves. I actually haven't gotten to surf here a whole lot, but it kind of breaks like home, it's real steep and fast, so that helps."

Barley would go on to blow through a few more heats, surfing all the way into the semis, giving East Coasters a dose of pride amid a comp fueled by locals and Pipe specialists. For more on "Gnarly Barley" check back for an interview later in the week. In the meantime, check out the videos below.