Kelly Slater was in prime form, navigating gaping barrels with ease to win the Volcom Pipe Pro on Wednesday.

In clean 8- to 12-foot surf, Slater picked off the event’s only perfect 10. Earlier in the day, Hawaii’s Jamie O’Brien lost out in his round of 32 heat, leaving the door open for a new set of warriors to challenge Slater for the title.

It was the first time Mason Ho of Hawaii and Brazilians Wiggolly Dantas and Adriano de Souza got to a Pipeline final. For Slater, an 11-time world champion, it marked his ninth win at the world-famous break at Ehukai Beach on the North Shore.

"It’s just awesome to be in this contest and go surf a four-man heat at Pipeline on a really good day," Slater said. "This morning was exceptionally good, perfection. I would give it an A or an A-plus. If there wasn’t a contest, there would be 60 to 70 guys out there hassling for it. It’s just great to have that extra space in the water. Those three waves I had this morning were amazing."

Slater’s round-of-32 heat featured the 10, a 9.77 and a 9.73, which accounted for three of the top four scoring waves of the event. The other wave in the top four, a 9.83, was also Slater’s, which he got in the quarterfinals.

During Slater’s 10-point ride, he dropped straight into the barrel on a heavy grinder and recovered without grabbing his rail, coming out with the spit to cheers from the crowd."

"My 10 was one of those really meat-eater, real thick ones," he said. " It was just a gnarly wave, there are no two ways about it. I was paddling into that thing going, ‘I can’t think too much. I just have to go and trust my instincts on this one.’ It was a real memorable one. I’ll never forget that wave."

Dantas surfed well all event, pulling into multiple pits at Pipeline as well as negotiating some heavy caves at Backdoor, to finish second. Slater even commended him on his backside barrel-riding.

"It feels so good. It’s amazing to make a final with Kelly, Mason and Adriano," Dantas said. "It’s the best place ever to be, and Pipeline is my favorite wave, so I am so stoked. Thank you, God. I just wanted to go out there and get good barrels. I was just frothing to surf. My dream was to make a final here, so now my other dream is to win one contest at Pipeline."

Ho, from Sunset Beach, placed third and de Souza took fourth.

"I feel really good because I made the final for the first time," Ho said. "I always felt like I should be in the final out here just because this is my love."