Australian surfer Joel Parkinson has won his first world title after Kelly Slater crashed out of the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.
Slater's loss in the second semi-final to another Australian, Josh Kerr, hands the WCT title to Parkinson, who led the world rankings prior to the season-ending event.
Kerr was rushed to hospital with a suspected broken neck but was cleared of serious injury and returned to Pipeline to eliminate the 11-time world champion Slater, then lost to Parkinson in the final to also claim a maiden Pipe Masters trophy.
