Australia’s Joel Parkinson is in the middle of a world championship chase, and now he’s in front of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing race.

Parkinson won the O’Neill World Cup of Surfing contest today at Sunset Beach.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and final were run in wave-face heights that ranged from 10 to 25 feet throughout the day.
Parkinson clinched the final by riding a barreling wave with around three minutes remaining in the heat.
The judges rewarded him with a score of 6.17 (out of 10), which was enough to give him the lead.
Parkinson finished with a two-wave score of 13.17, and he received $20,000 fo the victory.
Parkinson is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, and has a shot at the 2009 world title. The O’Neill World Cup did not count toward the world championship race, so yesterday’s outcome did not affect the standings.
Australia’s Mick Fanning, who is currently ranked No. 1, placed third today.
Parkinson’s final wave was enough to spoil a near-storybook victory for Waiçanae’s Sunny Garcia.
Garcia had the lead for most of the heat, but ultimately placed second. He owns a record six Triple Crown championships, although his last came in 2004.
Garcia spent most of 2009 rehabilitating from surgeries on both his knees.
Maui’s Dusty Payne placed fourth, but qualified for the 2010 ASP World Tour.
The O’Neill World Cup is the second event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Parkinson, who won the Triple Crown title last year, is the leader after two events.
The final contest is the Billabong Pipeline Masters, which could run between Dec. 8 and 20 at the Banzai Pipeline.