What an exciting year! It has come down to the last and final event, the Billabong Pipe Masters – to decide who will take the 2012 ASP World Championship. Will it be Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA) or Mick Fanning (AUS)?
The Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons, is the third and final event in the Vans Triple Crown and the final stop on the 2012 ASP World Title Series. The event begins Saturday, December 8 and runs until the 20th. The Banzai Pipeline, or Pipe, is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on Oahu’s famous North Shore. The Pipeline is famous for its huge waves which break in shallow water just above a sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow curls of water that surfers can tube ride.
The O’Neill Coldwater Classic at Santa Cruz’s Steamer Lane, Event No. 9 of 10, was won by Taj Burrow (AUS), 34. So, that means that three surfers remain ‘mathematically’ in contention for the 2012 ASP World Title: Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, Kelly Slater (USA), 40, and Mick Fanning (AUS), 31
We bet that all three will be going at it for one final time in 2012. Due to the altered format for the Billabong Pipe Masters, all three surfers will automatically be seeded into Round 3 of competition and finish no worse than Equal 13th (1750 points).
ASP WCT surfers’ year-end rankings are based off their top eight finishes from the 10 ASP WCT events in 2012. Parko is the current rankings leader on the ASP WCT, so the ASP World Title scenarios will be based on his potential finishes at Pipeline.
Here is how the year turned out:
- Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: Taj Burrow (AUS)
- Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Mick Fanning (AUS)
- Billabong Rio Pro: John John Florence (HAW)
- Volcom Fiji Pro: Kelly Slater (USA)
- Billabong Pro Tahiti: Mick Fanning (AUS)
- Hurley Pro at Trestles: Kelly Slater (USA)
- Quiksilver Pro France: Kelly Slater (USA)
- Rip Curl Pro Portugal: Julian Wilson (AUS)
- O’Neill Coldwater Classic: Taj Burrow (AUS)
- Billabong Pipe Masters: TBD
Down to the wire…
