David Wassel requested a couple of days off from work this week, and he has a pretty good excuse.

Flourishing in his role as the home-beach underdog, Wassel won his second-round heat in the Billabong Pipeline Masters men's surfing contest yesterday.

Wassel is a part-time lifeguard at nearby 'Ehukai Beach, so there was no way of hiding from his co-workers yesterday.

"The guys have been very supportive in letting me do this," said Wassel, 34. "I kind of knew the contest would run this week, so I took time off from work."

Unlike all the other competitors in the contest, Wassel is not a full-time professional surfer. He gets paid to surf big waves, but he also earns a paycheck as a North Shore lifeguard.

"I make more money surfing than I do for lifeguarding, but yeah, I'm not like these other guys," he said. "I don't travel to do contests. I just do specialty events, and I like to lifeguard as a way to give back to the community."

Wassel lives at a house near the famous Banzai Pipeline break and he surfs it all the time. And when not surfing there, he oversees the waves from his lifeguard tower.

"I think knowing this spot like I do helps me psychologically," Wassel said. "I go out there with a strong feeling and a clear head."

From the lifeguard tower down the beach yesterday, there was some cheering while Wassel's heat was in the water.

"We were watching the water up and down the beach like we're supposed to, but trying to listen to the speakers at the same time to keep up with how (Wassel) was doing," said Bryan Phillips who was on duty while the contest ran yesterday. "It makes us all look good when he shows what a solid waterman he is out there. We're happy he's representing us."

Wassel was one of 16 "Pipeline Specialists" who received special entry into the Pipeline Masters this year.

Yesterday's second round featured the specialists against some of the international competitors from the World Championship Tour.

The Billabong Pipeline Masters is a WCT contest, which is normally restricted to the 45 surfers on the tour. But because of the unique wave at Pipeline, the specialists were allowed to enter.

Despite less than ideal conditions — wave-face heights ranged from 6 to 12 feet, but winds were gusty — the specialists won 12 of the 16 heats.

"They don't call us the Pipe Specialists for nothing," Kaua'i's Danny Fuller said. "We've been surfing here since we were 10 years old. Every winter, I'm here from November to the end of February, surfing every day."

Fuller was one of the day's standouts, receiving a near-perfect score of 9.17 for a long barrel ride in his victory over Australian Michael Lowe.

"The conditions are kind of suspect today, but I was able to find a couple of little good ones," Fuller said.

The 12 specialists who won heats yesterday were Fuller, Wassel, Mikey Bruneau, Jamie O'Brien, Roy Powers, Gavin Gillette, Flynn Novak, Gavin Beschen, Ian Walsh, Mikala Jones, Myles Padaca and Makuakai Rothman.

The Pipeline Masters is the third, and final, contest in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Powers and Rothman remained in contention for the Triple Crown title by winning their respective heats yesterday.

Australia's Bede Durbidge, who drew a bye yesterday, is the Triple Crown leader.

Although the specialists won most of the heats, two of the world tour surfers scored the best heats.

Australia's Kai Otton had a near-perfect heat, receiving scores of 9.93 and 9.4 for two long barrel rides, giving him a total score of 19.33.

"This is my style of wave — I really like hollow lefts that hit ledges," Otton said.

California's Chris Ward had the second-best heat of the day with a two-wave total of 18.07.

Hawai'i surfers eliminated yesterday were Sunny Garcia, Kalani Chapman, Kainoa McGee, Tory Barron and Shane Dorian.

The Association of Surfing Professionals announced yesterday that Garcia was fined $5,000 for displaying "unsportsmanlike conduct" during a confrontation with Brazil's Neco Padaratz in the first round on Tuesday.

The contest still has two more days of competition. For status of the event, call 596-7873 or visit www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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