Joel Parkinson Makes History at the Billabong Pipeline Masters

Joel Parkinson accomplished something on Wednesday that only one other surfer in history has done:  score a perfect 20.00.  Parkinson notched two perfect 10.00 waves in his third-round heat at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, matching a feat only Kelly Slater previously had done.  Slater scored his perfect 20.00 in the finals of the 2005 Tahiti contest.

“I never thought I would get two perfect 10s,” Parkinson said.  “Kelly did it in unreal fashion, mine was a just in a third round heat, but it’s at Pipe and it’s definitely something that when I grow old, I’ll think, ‘I did something in my career my name’s next to Kelly’s on that one.’”

Parkinson also moved one step closer to winning the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing honor following the defeat of front-runner Dusty Payne (who was beaten by Parkinson’s 20.00) and second-place CJ Hobgood.

“I have to start thinking more about the Triple Crown now. I have to forget about those 10s and start surfing heats from now on and not get too ahead of myself,” he said.

Also eliminated from the Pipeline Masters Wednesday were Bruce Irons, Taj Burow, Mick Fanning, Daniel Wills, Dean Morrison, Pancho Sullivan and Ben Dunn.  Irons, Wills and Sullivan have previously announced their retirement from full-time competition in 2009, while Morrison is expected to apply for a wildcard to make the tour in 2009.

One day of competition is left to finish the Billabong Pipeline Masters and action is expected to resume on Friday due to poor weather.  For more about the event, visit the official site.  Full round three results follow.

Billabong Pipeline Masters Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Marcus Hickman (HAW) 14.56 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.83
Heat 2: Luke Stedman (AUS) 7.34 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 5.50
Heat 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 20.00 def. Dusty Payne (USA) 15.16
Heat 4: Tim Reyes (USA) 14.83 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 10.56
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.77 def. Ezra Sitt (HAW) 7.90
Heat 6: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.83 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 10.50
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 11.50 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 6.60
Heat 8: Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 16.50 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.86
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 18.26 def. Daniel Wills (AUS) 17.94
Heat 10: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.83 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 12.16
Heat 11: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 16.24 def. Bruce Irons (HAW) 16.10
Heat 12: Kamalei Alexander (HAW) 12.56 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.00
Heat 13: Chris Ward (USA) 17.27 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 13.83
Heat 14: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.93 def. Shane Dorian (HAW) 12.63
Heat 15: Evan Valiere (HAW) 18.13 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.60
Heat 16: Andy Irons (HAW) 14.37 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 13.17