1998 was Andy Irons' first year on the world tour. But it would be this over-the-falls wipeout at Pipe Masters that year that would be imprinted into our collective surfing nightmares forever. A massive first reef teepee doubled up and aimed straight for a frustrated Andy who had just been given an interference. There was no doubt he was going. The boil moved up the face blocking him from the right, and by then he was too deep for the left. A failed last second attempt at punching through the back led to a dramatic backwards in plain sight trip over the falls as the beach watched in unified horror.
The video and imagery of the wipeout would make the rounds in magazines and videos certifying then world tour rookie Andy Irons as a madman and a future lion of the North Shore.