Billy Kemper has taken out the 2019 Pipeline Invitational, at Banzai Pipeline, on the North Shore of Oahu, in Hawaii.
The 29-year-old surfer from Maui defeated Imaikalani deVault, Keanu Asing, and Koa Smith in the final held in pumping six-foot barreling waves.
As a result, Kemper and deVault secured the two wildcard spots available for the 2019 Billabong Pipeline Masters in Memory of Andy Irons.
"At the end of the day, this is everything I worked for. I am excited, and I hope I draw one of the world title guys and mess some of them up and have fun," expressed Billy Kemper.
This won't be the first time Kemper will have a chance to compete at the prestigious Triple Crown of Surfing event. In 2012, he was defeated by Kelly Slater in Round 3.
"I wouldn't be able to do anything in life without my family, my wife, my children, all my sponsors, and my friends. We have a great forecast ahead of us, so it looks like we'll have some really good waves."
Kemper won the event after surfing a beautiful Backdoor and performing a late drop into a Pipeline barrel.
He will now try to play spoiler in a Round 1 match-up with Italo Ferreira and Michael Rodrigues.
But runner-up surfer deVault had a breakthrough performance and will also compete in the heat of his career against Gabriel Medina and Willian Cardoso.
"I wouldn't consider myself a Pipe specialist yet, but I'm stoked for the opportunity, and I'm going to have a gnarly heat," added Imaikalani deVault.
2019 Pipeline Invitational | Final
1. Billy Kemper (HAW) 13.17
2. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 12.50
3. Keanu Asing (HAW) 7.56
4. Koa Smith (HAW) 3.83