The winner

Australian superstar Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta) has tightened his grip on the 2009 world surfing crown by claiming victory at the Billabong Pro in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa.

In another day of flawless 2m J-Bay tube rides, 28-year-old Parkinson dished out 9 and 10 point rides to reach the final and then easily beat Floridian Damien Hobgood in a 40-minute clincher. It marks his third win from five events on the World Tour, now 1400 points clear of closest rival CJ Hobgood (USA).

The world number 1 wasted no time asserting his dominance in the final, opening with a near perfect 9.47 ride on his first wave. 10-years to the day that he won the Billabong Pro as an 18-year-old wildcard, the smooth surfing natural footer backed up with a 6.50 to leave his opponent requiring a 9.70 score to steal victory.

Having won back to back tour events at his home break of Snapper Rocks and then Bells Beach, the early exits of top seeded surfers at the Billabong Pro leaves Parkinson on track to claim his maiden world title.

The others

For Hobgood, the second place finish lifted him from 10th to fifth on the world tour. The 30-year-olds’ crisp backside surfing set a new standard of Goofy foot attack at Jeffreys Bay, belting past Bede Durbidge (AUS), Taylor Knox (USA) and then an on fire Dane Reynolds (USA) to meet Parkinson in the final. As the swell dropped in the afternoon, Hobgood could only manage a 5.67 and a 6.27 in the final, not enough to equal his opponents’ early lead. After a series of mixed results in 2009 competition, the Floridian is back to the form that saw him finish 4th in the world in 2005.

After posting a perfect 10-point ride and the highest heat score of the event in the quarter’s, live-wire American Dane Raynolds could not keep the momentum going to get past Hobgood in the Semi’s and book a spot in his first ever final. The 23-year-old was on fire throughout early competition, his unique brand of no holds barred surfing, lighting up the long right hand point break. With three consecutive equal 33rd finishes from the past three events, his best ever 3rd place finish sees him break into the worlds top 20 for the first time in 2009.

Australian Kai Otten (Manly) equaled his best ever finish in a world tour event by going down to Parkinson at the semi final stage and securing an equal 3rd After eventual winner Parkinson opened their semi with a 10-point ride, a gallant fight back from the Sydney surfer saw him post a 9.80 to be right back in the hunt. Committed backside power surfing saw him well rewarded on his final ride scoring a 6.67 but falling two points short of pipping Parko at the final hooter, requiring an 8.04.