Another lay day at Pipeline Masters

Small surf has once again prevented any action at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii with organisers forced to call a fourth successive lay day on Monday.

The conditions have further delayed the start of the sudden-death round three at the iconic event which will decide this year's world title.

"Clean-but-small surf this morning and we've called competition off for the day," WSL Commissioner Kieren Perrow said.

"We have a significant swell system that will start showing tomorrow and we're hopeful that we'll recommence competition then."

Australia's Mick Fanning, top of the standings, is shooting for his fourth world crown, but will need to stave off a number of Brazilian challengers: Filipe Toledo, Adriano De Souza and Gabriel Medina.

Medina will be first in the water when competition commences against South Africa's Jordy Smith while Fanning faces 32-year-old Hawaiian Jamie O'Brien, who grew up near Banzai Pipeline and won the Masters in 2004.