Below is a photo of last years board that Kelly Slater won which was a charcoal sketch portrait of Gerry freehanded onto the foam of Gerry's shaped Pipeline Gun blank (I was very nervous working on that one .... no allowance for error).
Billabong Pipleline Masters 2008 trophy surfboard - Phil Roberts & Gerry Lopez
And this years board in full color recreation of a Jeff Divine photo. The under-painting is a freehand airbrush ( no stencils or friskets ) straight onto the foam deck blank, Gerry shaped Pipe Gun again, with the details of Gerry's portrait finished off with brush on the sanded hot-coat deck which in the end created a real 3-D effect after the gloss coat. I sent Kelly an email with a shot of the board and his reply was "It is on!!" , he was gunning for the board.
Phil Roberts working on the Billabong Pipleline Masters 2009 trophy surfboard
Also, below is me with Jeff Divine and a second board with a Steve Wilkings photograph. The '09 Pipeline Masters Trophy board with the Jeff Divine image is signed by myself, Jeff and Gerry .... I hope someday to be a real collectors item. The '08 board was estimated value of $10k before the contest and $20k after Kelly won it ..... that's a nice rumor.
Phil Roberts with Jeff Divine (left) and Steve Wilkings (right)
My bronze trophy is still being awarded to the winner as well, so it's a double bonus. But the buzz has been about the board. Gerry has been stoked and suggested that he and I do more, I'm stoked with that opportunity to work with my hero.
Bronze Pipeline Masters trophy sculptured by Phil Roberts
