Hawaiian Carissa Moore became the youngest surfing world champion as the woman she dethroned, Australian Stephanie Gilmore, won the Roxy Pro at Biarritz.
Gilmore, who had won the previous four world crowns, beat the 18-year-old Moore 17.27 points to 15.50 in quality one-metre waves at the French resort.
However her title defence never really got going, her confidence destroyed by an assault outside her Queensland home at the start of the year.
She had praise for Moore, in her second year on the world tour.
Moore secured the title when her nearest challenger, last year's runner-up Sally Fitzgibbons, was beaten by Gilmore in their semi-final.
Surfing a record sixth final in six events, Moore was celebrating the first world title for a Hawaiian in 30 years, since Margo Oberg's crowning in 1981.
The 20-year-old Australian Fitzgibbons, is headed for another runner-up place this year and is hungry to win the last event, at California's Huntington Beach, early next month.
