Skip McCullough claimed the 2018 Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup in the Philippines.
The American surfer beat local star John Mark Tokong in epic conditions, with perfect six-foot barrels peeling smoothly down the line.
McCullough even managed to adapt to the squall that stormed through in the final and ended up getting the best waves of the heat.
The San Diego athlete was literally floating on Cloud 9 after taking out the prestigious Qualifying Series (QS) event that got underway for the 24th consecutive year.
"It doesn't feel real. It's been a long road for me. I can't believe it. Every day of my life had led to this moment," said a very emotional Skip McCullough.
"Every day, it has been overhead, and today, it was bigger than I've ever seen it. I'm crying tears of joy right now. It means that much to me."
Skip McCullough secured the best result of his entire career. The victory in Cloud 9 puts him inside the World Surf League's QS Top 100.
John Mark Tokong, who had already won the Siargao Surfing Cup in 2015, has also unlocked the opportunity to compete in QS events all around the world.
"My confidence is definitely high from having the highest scores out of every surfer for the entire competition. This result will help me with my career and allow me to travel to other places," concluded Tokong.
2018 Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup | Final
1. Skip McCullough (USA) 12.17
2. John Mark Tokong (PHI) 2.63