The 40th anniversary of the Billabong Pipe Masters is already being called one of the best surfing contests ever, and for good reason. The best Masters' swell in decades was pounding the North Shore of Oahu all week, making for an incredible climax to the 2011 ASP season.

The most anticipated match of the event was between 39-year-old Kelly Slater, the 11 time world champion, and his 19-year-old protege, John John Florence of Hawaii.

Florence, an ASP rookie, was born the same year Slater won the first of his six Pipe Masters crowns back in 1992. The famous wave breaks roughly 100 yards from John John's bedroom, and he started braving the ferocious conditions when he was 8. By the time he was 12 he was appearing on the cover of Surfer Magazine. Slater, meanwhile, has spent a good portion of his career surfing in Florence's backyard, and has played a big-brother role for years.

Many viewed this week's battle between them as the possible passing of the Pipeline torch, and perhaps more. Florence won back-to-back events at Pipeline earlier this year, and clinched the first of what many believe will be many Vans Triple Crown of Surfing titles Saturday, becoming the youngest surfer to ever win the prestigious Hawaiian crown.

On Friday Florence drew first blood on Slater in a Round Four match-up that pitted him against Kelly and CJ Hobgood. He beat them both handily thanks to a perfect 10-point ride.

But during Saturday's sudden-death quarterfinal heat, Slater came from 10 points behind in the final five minutes to slip past Florence in the final seconds. It was a remarkable comeback that seemingly only Slater could pull.

[Is Slater's 20-year reign worthy of a Sports Illustrated cover?]

"I'm just trying to hold John John at bay a little longer," Slater said afterward. "This kid is going to dominate here for the next 20 years. He'll have plenty of Pipe titles before he's done." Indeed, it was easy to see that defeating Florence at his home break meant a lot to Slater. Years from now Slater's last-minute heroics in 2011 are sure to be remembered as one of the finest in his remarkable 20-year career.

Pipeline is the planet's most celebrated wave thanks to both its beauty and fury. When massive swells finish their journey across the North Pacific uninterrupted, they hit the shallow coral reef sitting just 50 yards from shore and jump to the size of four-story buildings before heaving, twisting and detonating with enough force to shake the sand under the feet of fans and the gallery of photographers on the beach.

Meanwhile, brave surfers are vying for the ride of their lives, risking life and limb while trying desperately to avoid Pipeline's ferocious guillotine of glassy water.

"It's really heavy out there but this is as good as Pipeline gets," Slater said Friday.

While Slater and Florence stole most of the early headlines, the Pipe Masters is a career-maker-or-breaker for several others, but none more than veteran Kieren Perrow, who needed to make the quarterfinal this year just to remain on the ASP world tour. That was a tall order to be sure, but possible considering Perrow finished runner-up at Pipeline last year. His painful loss still haunts him, as he let the lead slip away in the final seconds.

Perrow managed to keep his career alive with a 10 point ride that got him to the quarterfinals on Friday. On Saturday he set out to right last year's wrong.

Wrapping his many battle wounds in Duct Tape, Perrow worked his way back to the final against fellow Aussie Joel Parkinson (who defeated Slater in the semifinals). This time Perrow didn't let his finals' lead slip. He nabbed the title that eluded him in 2010, finally got his first tour win, and took home what Slater calls "The best trophy in surfing."

[Video: amazing human feats of 2011]

Former Hawaiian State Senator Fred Hemmings, the 1968 world champion and founder of the Pipe Masters, was among those taking in the show. In 1971 he helped launch the sport of surfing with a card table and a bull horn. "We dreamed of surfing going global like this, but this has surpassed our wildest imagination. This is just an incredible show."

Above: Gabriel Medina threads the tube at Pipeline during his run to the quarterfinals of the Pipe Masters. Click photo for full Surfer Magazine photo gallery. Photo: Todd Glaser

Results of 2011 Billabong Pipeline Masters
1. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
2. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
3. Kelly Slater (USA), Michel Bourez (PYF)
5. John John Florence (HAW), Jamie O'Brien (HAW), Evan Valiere (HAW), Gabriel Medina (BRA)

Winner of Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
John John Florence (HAW)

PHOTOS: The Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore (top) is the world's most photographed wave for good reason. 19-year-old John John Florence (middle) has come of age under the microscope at Pipeline, where he grew up. These days the ASP rookie is the biggest threat to Slater; Last week Kieren Perrow (below) was pondering life after pro surfing, Saturday, after an emotional victory, his career is going strong. Photos: ASP/Kirstin/Cestari

Kelly Slater, who has dominated pro surfing over the past two decades and has been referred to as the Tiger Woods of his sport, might be considering pro golf as a second career.

It's not as far-fetched as it might seem. Slater, who will turn 40 in February, is a two-handicap golfer who won a remarkable 11 world surfing titles with a blend of sheer talent, physical and mental toughness, and fierce determination. He has been recognized by many as one of this era's top athletes.

Most realistically, for Slater, would be the PGA Champions Tour, for golfers 50 and older, though as a non-established player he might have to wait until he's 55 to qualify.

He'd have 10-15 years, then, to hone his game if he retires from competitive surfing after the season-ending contest, the Billabong Pipe Masters, which is underway at the Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore.

The surfer, who is famously coy about future plans, was quoted in a Reuters story this week as saying, "I like golf, I love it, I work hard on it and actually I'd like to become..."

The conversation between Slater and author Will Swanton but that's more than he usually offers about his surfing career at the end of each season.

But Slater is as passionate about golf as he is about surfing, and the Floridian has tested his game against PGA Tour golfers. He has played twice in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and twice he beat his Tour partner, Pat Perez.

Slater has strolled fairways with John Daly, Darren Clarke, Steve Stricker and Dustin Johnson, which certainly served to whet his appetite.

"I do think about it," Slater conceded. "Funnily enough, I just did an interview with the Golf Channel: they're doing a special for Christmas and the three golfers they followed were me, Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker. Point is, I'm pretty entrenched in the golf community now, even if it isn't at the competitive level yet."

Of reaching that level he said, "There are these vague dreams in my head about it. The trouble would be the amount of time it would take to be good and confident enough."

That's being realistic. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of two-handicappers with unrealistic dreams of playing professionally. Slater recalled the first time he played with a pro:

"First hole, I was so nervous I sliced it so far right it was crazy. Second shot, I hit it way left into deep rough. It was a par-four. Third shot, I hacked it up to about 50 feet from the pin. I holed the 50-footer for par."

That's Slater. In surfing, competitors must get past several heats to make the final. Slater often dominates, but he also posses an uncanny knack for pulling out an unbelievably high score to edge his competitor on the final wave, as time expires.

That's the equivalent of sinking a 50-foot putt to save par. It's more about mental strength and desire than luck.

Does Slater have what it takes to play golf professionally? Maybe not, but those who know him would not bet against him.

-- Top image credit: Reproduced by Permission of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Second image is courtesy of ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz. Third image is courtesy of Quiksilver

For the second year running, Turtle Bay on the North Shore of Oahu played host to the biggest night in surfing, the 41st annual SURFER Poll Awards. The Top 10 men and Top 5 women--as voted by fans-- were honored.

Kelly Slater took home his 17th SURFER Poll No. 1 in a year he won an unprecedented 11th world title. "The first one I won was in 1992," says Kelly Slater. "I remember the cover shot was me, and it said Curren, Carroll, Potts' names too. That was pretty mind-blowing at the time to win against those guys. Now I'm still inspired by the crew of guys coming up right now--Dane, Julian, Medina, John John."



Dane Reynolds, the man in which Slater urged fans to vote as No.1 came a close second, followed by current world number two Owen Wright. The fans let the surfing world know they have not forgotten fallen surfer Andy Irons, as they voted him the No. 9 surfer along with his brother Bruce 10. Watch the emotional acceptance speach by the Irons family.

Recently crowned ASP World Champ Carissa Moore ousted two-time SURFER Poll No. 1 Stephanie Gilmore to take the top slot continuing her magical year.

"I'm still grasping the situation," said a visibly shocked Carissa Moore, "but it's amazing to win this award. It's a great night in surfing and I'm so thankful for all my fans for voting for me."

After an amazing year that included two Pipeline event wins, World Tour qualification, and most recently, a win at the Vans World Cup at Sunset, Oahu's John John Florence was granted the prestigious Andy Irons Breakthrough Performer Award.

In the highly contested Movie of the Year category is was Globe's film Year Zero directed by Joe Guglielmino taking home the award. The Best Documentary award was won by Splinters directed by Adam Pesce and the Best Cinematography award went to Keith Malloy's Come Hell or High Water.

Everyone's favorite category Worst Wipeout was awarded to Rodrigo Koxa for his gnarly wipeout during Teahupoo's massive swell.

Here's the complete 2011 SURFER Poll Results

Top 10 Men
1. Kelly Slater
2. Dane Reynolds
3. Owen Wright
4. Julian Wilson
5. Taj Burrow
6. Mick Fanning
7. Joel Parkinson
8. Jordy Smith
9. Andy Irons
10. Bruce Irons

Top 5 Women
1. Carissa Moore
2. Coco Ho
3. Stephanie Gilmore
4. Alana Blanchard
5. Sally Fitzgibbons

Andy Irons Breakthrough Performer
John John Florence

Movie of the Year
Year Zero

Best Documentary
Splinters

Best Cinematography
Come Hell or High Water

Best Performance
Josh Kerr, for Kerrazy Kronicles

Heavy Water
Nathan Fletcher, for Teahupoo Uncut, Get-N-Classic, Rumors

Best Barrel
Alex Gray, for Teahupoo Uncut

Worst Wipeout
Rodrigo Koxa, for Teahupoo Uncut

Best Digital Short
Lost Interest

Kelly has won title number eleven for the second time. In stormy onshore peaks at Ocean Beach, Slater was able to out-surf the Brazilian duo of Medina and Pupo to claim his round 4 heat, book a spot in the quarterfinals, and mathematically clinch his unheard-of 11th world surfing title.

The young goofyfoots put up quite a fight in the puntable conditions. Neither of them was able to land anything huge though, which is what it's going to take down the champ, especially when the ASP owes him a world title because they made an unbelievably amateur error the other day..

The day would also hold a couple more bits of drama. Patrick Gudauskas, sitting at 34 in the ranking, absolutely needs a result in this event in order to secure a spot on tour next year, much like last year when he was facing elimination after the tahiti event. Much like last year, he was able to throw down a flip in order to win his heat, except this time he may have fractured his ankle in the process. This flip was a much loftier version of the trick, and his back foot was compressed on the landing, causing him to ride out in agonizing pain. Ex-rays will show if he has any chance of competing in his round 5 heat, which will most likely be run on Tuesday. Jordy Smith, who is no stranger to heat injuries, was unable to get the heat win despite ten minutes in the lineup by himself.

Josh Kerr boooked himself a quarterfinal slot in dramatic fashion, pulling out an enormous alley-oop in the dying seconds for a 9.53 to vault himself past Parko. In his attempts leading up to his final waves, he came within a hair of pulling a massive 540 alley-oop. Check it on the live replay for the sickest 1.67 you'll ever see.

Competition will look to resume tomorrow, and the forecast for Tuesday is shaping up very nicely.

UPCOMING RIP CURL PRO SEARCH SAN FRANCISCO ROUND 5 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 3: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH SAN FRANCISCO ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.67, Taylor Knox (USA) 9.94, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.43
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.17, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.33, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.83
Heat 3: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.60, Brett Simpson (USA) 12.83, Owen Wright (AUS) 9.36
Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.63, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.57, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 0.00

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH SAN FRANCISCO ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS) 16.44 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 9.83
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.46 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.90