BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu/Hawaii (Saturday, December 14, 2013) -Mick Fanning (AUS), 32, has claimed his third ASP World Title today at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons.
The final event of the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) season, the Billabong Pipe Masters is culminating today in solid 10 to 15 foot (three-to-five metre) waves at the infamous Banzai Pipeline and Fanning’s last-minute heroics in both Round 5 against C.J. Hobgood (USA), 34, and the Quarterfinals against Yadin Nicol (AUS), 28, has sealed his campaign for this year’s world surfing crown over an in-form Kelly Slater (USA), 41.
“It wasn’t easy,” Fanning said of his morning Round 5 bout with Hobgood. “If you want to win a world title, you have to put it all on the line. I basically got flogged for 28 minutes of that heat before that gem came through. I heard from all the boys whistling on the beach and I knew it was going to be a good one when it came in. I got a roll in off of second reef and it set up for a really good section on first reef. Came through at the right time and that was definitely a magic moment for me.”
Full story coming soon…
Fanning is now into the Semifinals of the Billabong Pipeline Masters and Slater will take on Sebastian Zietz (HAW), 25, in his Quarterfinal match.
MICK FANNING 2013 ASP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR RESULTS:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: Equal 3rd Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Equal 5th Billabong Rio Pro: Equal 3rd Volcom Fiji Pro: Runner-Up Oakley Pro Bali: Equal 5th Billabong Pro Tahiti: Equal 3rd Hurley Pro at Trestles: Equal 9th Quiksilver Pro France: WINNER Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Equal 5th Billabong Pipeline Masters: TBD
