John John Florence has taken out the 2020 Billabong Pipe Masters at Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
The local surfer defeated Gabriel Medina in a tight final held in below-average conditions. Florence secured his first Pipe Masters trophy.
The two-time world champions ended up separated by 0.67 points.
"It's great to win the first event of the season at my home break, especially after the injuries I've gone through," expressed Florence.
John John had never won the Pipe Masters. In 2013 and 2017, the Hawaiian finished runner-up.
"It's the biggest event on the Championship Tour, and I've grown up watching my heroes surf the Pipe Masters and win world titles here, so this is one of my important achievements," added Florence.
The 50th Billabong Pipe Masters was the first event of the 2021 Championship Tour.
The season will wrap up with a single-day event at Lower Trestles in California, where the men's and women's world champions will be crowned.
The surf-off format will see the top five men and top five women battling for world titles from September 8-17, 2021, in one of the best high-performance waves on the planet.
Tyler Wright's Winning Statement
Tyler Wright conquered the 2020 Maui Pro after defeating Carissa Moore in the final held at Pipeline - it was the first time a women's final took place at the legendary surf break.
The event had been suspended after a shark attack killed a man at Honolua Bay.
The Australian surfer competed with a special jersey featuring Daniel Quasar's Progress Pride flag.
"As a bisexual woman, I'll represent the LGBTQ+ community and my country on my jersey this year. The Progress Pride flag represents a love that opened my eyes more to who I really am," expressed Tyler Wright.
The 26-year-old surfer secured the 14th Championship Tour of her career.
2020 Billabong Pipe Masters | Final
1. John John Florence (HAW) 11.77
2. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.10
2020 Maui Pro | Final
1. Tyler Wright (AUS) 8.34
2. Carissa Moore (HAW) 7.23