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Posted on Sunday December 13th 2009 at 1:08 p.m.
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Heading into the final stop of the 2009 ASP World Tour season, Fanning held the ASP ratings' lead over fellow Gold Coast surfer Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, and with Parkinson's Round 3 exit in today's Billabong Pipe Masters at the hands of wildcard Gavin Gillette (HAW), 23, Fanning secured his second ASP World Title.
"I'm just a bit overwhelmed right now and I don't quite know what to say," Fanning said. "It was hard out there. I was trying to get ready for my heat and then Gavin (Gillette) got that one score as I was paddling out and, I don't know, I just sort of slowed down."
For the first time since 2003, the ASP World Title came down to the final event of the season at the Billabong Pipe Masters.
"This title is way more fun," Fanning said. "I was much more relaxed for this one - besides the last few days, I was really nervous."
The 2009 ASP World Tour season will go down in history as one of the most dramatic, with Parkinson winning three of the first five events before Fanning rallied in the latter half of the season to overtake his good friend.
"I knew I was surfing well," Fanning said. "It was just a matter of getting that result. I knew it was going to turn around sooner or later. I don't know, it's weird the way the world works."
Fanning's 2009 ASP World Tour results are as follows:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: Equal 3rd
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Equal 5th
Billabong Pro Teahupoo: Equal 9th
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro: Equal 5th
Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay: Equal 17th
Hurley Pro Trestles: WINNER
Quiksilver Pro France: WINNER
Billabong Pro Mundaka: Equal 9th
Rip Curl Pro Search: WINNER
Billabong Pipeline Masters: Equal 9th
In the end, and reminiscent of Fanning's 2007 ASP World Title (clinched in Brazil), the lightning-fast natural-footer was in the water with Parkinson (in between heats) as the scene unfolded. The two lifelong friends embraced, exchanged words and paddled in separate directions.
"We just sort of sat there and hugged and chatted about what's happened over the last few days and how nervous we both were," Fanning said. "It was hard to watch what happened to him this year. He had such a stranglehold on the tour and then he had that ankle injury, so as a friend it was hard to watch that. If I wasn't in the race I would have been gunning for Joel for sure."
For securing the 2009 ASP World Title, Fanning has also been awarded and extra $50,000 from the Vans Triple Threat bonus package. One more day of competition here at the Billabong Pipe Masters remains. There is a 50/50 chance that competition could resume at 8am tomorrow. Check in first thing in the morning at triplecrownofsurfing.com
Heading into the quarter finals the lineup consists of three Floridians - Kelly Slater and brothers CJ and Damien Hobgood; Australians Dean Morrison, Bede Durbidge and Taj Burrow; California's Dane Reynolds; and lone local Hawaii surfer Flynn Novak. Slater has won six Pipe Masters titles during his career, and Durbidge has won one.
CJ Hobgood is now the only surfer who can get between defending Vans Triple Crown champion Parkinson and a second series title that is this year worth a bonus $50,000 and a $10,000 custom Nixon watch. With Parkinson out of the competition, CJ must make it all the way to the final, where a first or second place would be sufficient to wrap it up.
In conjunction with Billabong's $40,000 winner's purse, Vans has added a bonus $50,000 to bring the first place check to $90,000.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.
For Billabong Pipe Masters highlights, videos, photos and more log on to:
www.triplecrownofsurfing.com
BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Dean Morrison (AUS) 16.76 dft. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.16
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.66 dft. John Florence (HAW) 12.0
Heat 3: Flynn Novak (HAW) 12.34 dft. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 7.54
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.1 dft. Fred Patacchia (HAW) 14.5
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.83 dft. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 8.5
Heat 6: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.57 dft. Dayyan Neve (AUS) 12.23
Heat 7: CJ Hobgood (USA) 15.27 dft. Phil MacDonald (AUS) 5.87
Heat 8: Dane Reynolds (USA) dft. Gavin Gillette (HAW)
QUARTER FINAL MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Dean Morrison (AUS) v Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 2: Flynn Novak (HAW) v Kelly Slater (USA)
Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) v Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 4: CJ Hobgood (USA) v Dane Reynolds (USA)
BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Dean Morrison (AUS) 16.67 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 6.6
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.57 dft. Torrey Meister (HAW) 6.26
Heat 3: Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.07 dft. 6.1
Heat 4: John Florence (HAW) 16.93 dft. Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.16
Heat 5: Flynn Novak (HAW) 15.5 dft. Adriano DeSouza (BRZ) 14.34
Heat 6: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.67 dft. Michael Picon (FRA) 12.1
Heat 7: Fred Patacchia (HAW) 15.67 dft. Chris Ward (USA) 10.66
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.33 dft. Hank Gaskell (HAW) 14.17
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.66 dft. Liam McNamara (HAW) 0.33
Heat 10: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 17.17 dft. Roy Powers (HAW) 13.8
Heat 11: Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.83 dft. Bruce Irons (HAW) 8.67
Heat 12: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 15.67 dft. Jordy Smith (SAF) 13.0
Heat 13: Phil MacDonald (AUS) 15.17 dft. Taylor Knox (USA) 11.94
Heat 14: CJ Hobgood (USA) 16.33 dft. Shane Dorian (HAW) 11.94
Heat 15: Gavin Gillette (HAW) 13.36 dft. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.56
Heat 16: Dane Reynolds (USA) 14.2 dft. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 10.43