Jeremy Flores vince Pipe Masters (Hawaii)

HONOLULU – (Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010) — Jeremy Flores (FRA), 22, defeated 10-time ASP World Surfing Champion Kelly Slater on his way to winning the world’s most prestigious and longest running professional surfing event: the Billabong Pipe Masters, In Memory of Andy Irons (Salad Days Mag # 2). Flores is the first European surfer in the 40-year history of this event to write his name in the champion’s honor roll. This was the first major win of his six-year career and his largest pay check – $75,000. He was also personally presented with a handmade Gerry Lopez surfboard by the legendary Pipe Master himself and ended the year ranked 9th in the world. Flores employed steely faith and patience in the critical heats he surfed today, taking down Kieren Perrow (AUS) in the final and Kelly Slater (USA) in the semi finals with last minute tube-riding charges in clean four-foot surf. For Perrow, this was the first final of his career. Perrow‘s consolation was the top wave-score of the day: 9.7 in his semi-final against Dane Reynolds (USA). Reynolds and Slater finished equal third overall. Slater, 38, was a key component in all major outcomes today after his elimination of Adrian Buchan in the Quarter-finals allowed Joel Parkinson (AUS) to achieve an historic third consecutive Vans Triple Crown Title. It is only the second time in the sport’s history that a surfer has won this many Triple Crown titles. After losing yesterday in round three, Parkinson, 29, had to watch his third consecutive Triple Crown title unfold from the sidelines. If Adrian Buchan made it to the final, he would have stolen the title from Joel. Parkinson won $10,000, a one-of-a-kind $10,000 Nixon watch for his position as the most consistent performer across the Vans Triple Crown series. He won the first stop at Haleiwa, returning from an injury that took him away from the ASP World Tour for six months; he reached the quarter finals at Sunset Beach, and finished equal 13th here. Equal fifth today after quarter final eliminations were Owen Wright (AUS); Adrian Buchan (AUS); Jordy Smith (ZAF); and Taylor Knox (USA). The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, is a series of three men’s and three women’s professional surfing events that are the final stop on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour. Now in its 28th year, the Vans Triple Crown is considered the most prestigious title in surfing next to the ASP World Title.