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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Australia's Burrow captures Pipeline Masters; Parkinson takes Triple Crown


Advertiser Staff

Taj Burrow of Australia won the Billabong Pipeline Masters surfing contest today, defeating Florida's Kelly Slater in the final.

The final day of the contest was run in wave-face heights of 6 to 10 feet at the Banzai Pipeline off Ehukai Beach.

Waves diminished during the 35-minute final, and Burrow won by a relatively-low score of 12.83-7.10.

Burrow received $90,000 for his first Pipeline Masters victory — $40,000 for winning the contest and a $50,000 bonus as part of the "Vans Triple Crown Triple Threat."

Slater received $24,000. He already owns a record six Pipeline Masters titles.

Flynn Novak of O'ahu's North Shore was eliminated in the quarterfinals. He was the top-placing Hawai'i surfer.

Also today, Joel Parkinson of Australia won the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing championship for the second consecutive year.

Parkinson was eliminated from the Pipeline Masters in the third round, but clinched the Triple Crown title when Florida's C.J. Hobgood was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Parkinson won the second event in the Triple Crown series, the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.

Parkinson also received a $50,000 bonus for the Triple Crown title.