The Rip Curl Pro Pipeline Masters came up big yesterday.

As in big names, big barrels and a big crowd.

The third day of the contest ran in 6- to 12-foot waves at the Banzai Pipeline, in front of a crowd estimated at 5,000.

The second and third rounds were completed, with the top-ranked surfers scoring most of top rides.

"There's lots of luck involved, but guys are finding 10s and 9s, so there's good waves to be had," Kaua'i's Andy Irons said.

Irons was one of six Hawai'i surfers advancing to the quarterfinals. The others were his brother Bruce Irons, Jamie O'Brien, Kalani Chapman, Pancho Sullivan and Sunny Garcia.

Andy Irons had one of the most intriguing heats of the day. He scored a 9.07 (out of 10) for a barrel ride on his first wave, but his board snapped in half on his second wave.

He spent about 10 minutes swimming and bodysurfing some 10-foot waves until a replacement board was paddled out to him.

"I was pretty angry out there, so I bodysurfed a couple of waves to get it out of my system," said Irons, a three-time former world champion.

The current world champion, Kelly Slater of Florida, had the best heat of the day, receiving a perfect 10 and an 8.67.

"That big one I got was pretty sweet," he said of his perfect barrel ride. "I just flew through the end and I was kind of like partying in there."

O'Brien, the defending Pipeline Masters champion, also was impressive with a two-wave score of 17.04. He received a near-perfect 9.87 for a long barrel ride.

"I saw it doubling up, and I got as much speed as I could," he said. "Then I just sat in there and ... it spit me out. I was kind of in the moment right there."

As proof of the power of the waves, O'Brien emerged from his heat with a large tear down the back of his surf shorts.

Only 16 surfers remain for the final day of competition.

The Pipeline Masters is the third of three events in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Sunset Beach's Sullivan solidified his lead in the Triple Crown standings by advancing to the quarterfinals. Sullivan won the first event of the series at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach.

Australia's Jake Paterson, who won the second event of the Triple Crown, was eliminated yesterday.

The final day of the Pipeline Masters could run today, if conditions hold. For status of the contest, call 596-7873 or visit triplecrownofsurfing.com.

QUARTERFINAL HEATS

Heat 1: Jamie O'Brien (Hawai'i), Mick Fanning (Australia), Damien Hobgood (Florida), Lee Winkler (Australia). Heat 2: Cory Lopez (Florida), Trent Munro (Australia), Kelly Slater (Florida), Kalani Chapman (Hawai'i). Heat 3: Andy Irons (Hawai'i), Luke Egan (Australia), Nathan Hedge (Australia), Tim Curran (California). Heat 4: Mark Occhilupo (Australia), Pancho Sullivan (Hawai'i), Bruce Irons (Hawai'i), Sunny Garcia (Hawai'i).

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.