Australia’s Joel Parkinson wins Hawaiian Pro championship
Australia’s Joel Parkinson powered his way to the Hawaiian Pro championship Saturday afternoon at Haleiwa’s Alii Beach Park.
It was the second win at the Hawaiian Pro for the veteran surfer, who is retiring at the end of the year. He also took Hawaiian Pro honors in 2010.
Parkinson’s two-wave total of 17.36 bested the three others in his four-man final heat. Brazil’s Mateus Hardy (15.83) took second, followed by New Zealand’s Ricardo Christie (15.83) and Brazil’s Deivid Silva (15.36).
Parkinson is off to a good start at claiming for a fourth Vans Triple Crown of Surfing championship. He won the season-ending series (best surfer in the three events combined) in 2008, ’09 and ’10.
The Hawaiian Pro is the first leg of the Triple Crown, which will continue with the Vans World Cup of Surfing (Nov. 25 through Dec. 6) and the Billabong Pipe Masters (Dec. 8-20).