Photos of 2015 Billabong Pipe Masters

2 of 80

It all culminates here.

3 of 80

A thick day of spectators at Pipeline.

4 of 80

Gabriel Medina, winner of the 2015 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

5 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) upon receiving the 2015 World Title Trophy.

6 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) winner of the 2015 Billabong Pipe Masters.

7 of 80

Gabriel Medina, winner of the Vans Triple Crown and Adriano de Souza, winner of the 2015 World Title.

8 of 80

Gabriel Medina awards Adriano de Souza the 2015 World Title Trophy.

9 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 2015 World Champion.

10 of 80

Jamie O'Brien greets houseguest Adriano de Souza on the beach after his World Title victory.

11 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA)

12 of 80

Mason Ho congratulates Adriano de Souza on his World Title.

13 of 80

Adriano de Souza and Mason Ho share a wave in at the end of Semifinal 2. De Souza's win clinched the World Title.

14 of 80

Mason Ho attempts a late drop during the Semifinals.

15 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) is greeted by fans and friends following his World Title win.

16 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) finds a barrel at Backdoor during the Semifinals. His win over Mason Ho clinched the 2015 World Title.

17 of 80

In his tenth season the Championship Tour, Adriano de Souza won his first World Title.

18 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) winner of the 2015 World Title.

19 of 80

Gabriel Medina finds a hollow section at Backdoor during the Semifinals.

20 of 80

Gabriel Medina did an air in the Semifinals to take down Mick Fanning and clinch the 2015 Vans Triple Crown. Medina is now the first Brazilian to win the Triple Crown series.

21 of 80

Gabriel Medina drags his arms in a barrel at Pipe during the Semifinals.

22 of 80

Entering his first Pipe Master Final, Adriano de Souza (BRA) took out fellow Brazilian Gabriel Medina (BRA) to earn his country's first Pipe Master Title en route to his World Title win.

23 of 80

Mick Fanning attempts an air during the Semifinals.

24 of 80

Mick Fanning finds a wave at Backdoor during his Semifinal heat.

25 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) sends a thank you to the sky after claiming victory in his Quarterfinal heat.

26 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) battling to victory in the Quarterfinals.

27 of 80

Mason Ho sets up for a cutback at Backdoor, he advanced to the Semifinals.

28 of 80

Mason Ho picks off a gem at Backdoor during the Quarterfinals.

29 of 80

Creating a whirlwind throughout the Pipe Masters, Mason Ho (HAW) nearly ended Adriano de Souza's (BRA) Title run but couldn't eliminate the in-form Brazilian.

30 of 80

Adriano de Souza says a prayer before his Quarterfinal matchup.

31 of 80

Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning traded waves in the Quarterfinals until the final two minutes when the heat went Fanning's way.

32 of 80

After getting sent to Round 5 by Mick Fanning (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA) had to face the current World No.1 once more in the Quarterfinals - losing out to motivated Fanning.

33 of 80

Mick Fanning drops in on a wave at Pipe during the Quarters.

34 of 80

Mick Fanning focuses his breathing before his Quarterfinal heat against Kelly Slater.

35 of 80

Gabriel Medina prepares for his Quarterfinal matchup.

36 of 80

Gabriel Medina finishes a wave with an air-reverse in Quarterfinal 1.

37 of 80

Gabriel Medina ducks for cover in the Quarterfinals. Though he made the advance with Mick Fanning's Quarterfinal win, Medina was eliminated from the Title race.

38 of 80

Mick Fanning collects his thoughts skyward before the Quarterfinals.

39 of 80

Mick Fanning readies himself for the Quarterfinals.

40 of 80

Mick Fanning claims the exit and a Quarterfinal win against Kelly Slater.

41 of 80

Mick Fanning finds a winning wave in the Quarterfinals.

42 of 80

Nearly making his dream of a fourth World Title a reality, Mick Fanning (AUS) fell just short in his Semifinal heat.

43 of 80

Josh Kerr caps off a barrel with above the lip action in Round 5.

44 of 80

Josh Kerr makes his way through Backdoor and into the Quarterfinals.

45 of 80

Presented with the opportunity to help his fellow Aussie win a World Title, Josh Kerr (AUS) couldn't surpass the in-form Adriano de Souza (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.

46 of 80

Jeremy Flores makes a late drop at Backdoor in Round 5. The former Pipe Master was eliminated by Josh Kerr.

47 of 80

Jeremy Flores during Round 3 of the Billabong Pipe Masters.

48 of 80

Taking down Mason Ho (HAW) in the Semifinals, Adriano de Souza (BRA) clinched his first-ever World Title over Mick Fanning (AUS).

49 of 80

Joel Parkinson (AUS) couldn't find the scores he needed to overtake fellow Aussie Adam Melling (AUS) and was eliminated in the narrowest of margins.

50 of 80

Joel Parkinson was eliminated by Adam Melling in Round 5.

51 of 80

Adam Melling finds a long barrel in Round 5, he will face Mason Ho in the Quarterfinals.

52 of 80

Adam Melling takes a spill in Round 5, but managed to come away with the heat win.

53 of 80

Kelly Slater drops in at Backdoor in Round 5. He will face Mick Fanning once again during the Quarterfinals.

54 of 80

C.J. Hobgood aims for Backdoor during Round 5.

55 of 80

C.J. Hobgood drops in under the lip and into the Quarterfinals where he will face Gabriel Medina.

56 of 80

John John Florence (HAW) couldn't overcome C.J. Hobgood in Round 5.

57 of 80

Taking down local favorite John John Florence (HAW), C.J. Hobgood comboed Florence in Round 5 for the heat win and will face Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.

58 of 80

Bowing out to C.J. Hobgood (USA) in Round 5, John John Florence (HAW) can look back at his Pipe Masters run with pride scoring the highest heat total of the event earlier in Round 3.

59 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) capped off an incredible Round 4 of action with a win and kept his World Title hopes alive - earning a direct pass to the Quarterfinals.

60 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) drags his hand in Round 4 and into the barrel.

61 of 80

Adriano de Souza (BRA) drops into a barrel at Pipe during Round 4. He earned the direct advance to the Quarterfinals.

62 of 80

Josh Kerr (AUS) couldn't find the scores necessary to take over Adriano de Souza (BRA) in Round 4 and will have to battle Jeremy Flores (FRA) in Round 5.

63 of 80

Mick Fanning (AUS) came out on top during one of the highlight heats of 2015, earning a 17.30 heat total over Pipeline specialists John John Florence (HAW) and Kelly Slater (USA).

64 of 80

Joel Parkinson had a solid heat in Round 4, but couldn't overcome local injury replacement Mason Ho.

65 of 80

Josh Kerr drives through a tube during Round 4.

67 of 80

Mick Fanning slides under the barrel at Pipeline.

68 of 80

Mick Fanning makes a late drop at Pipe during Round 4.

69 of 80

Mick Fanning drives through a barrel at Backdoor in Round 4.

70 of 80

Mason Ho (HAW) earned one of three 10-point rides during Wednesday's marathon day - beating former Pipe Masters Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) in Round 4.

71 of 80

Joel Parkinson, calm and collected in Round 4.

72 of 80

Mason Ho keeping himself inside the tube at Backdoor.

73 of 80

Kelly Slater stalls for a wave at Backdoor.

74 of 80

Kelly Slater sets up for a barrel at Backdoor during Round 4.

75 of 80

Kelly Slater deep in a wave at Pipe.

76 of 80

Mason Ho earned a perfect 10 in Round 4 and the direct advance to the Quarterfinals.

77 of 80

John John Florence (HAW) at home in a jersey during the Billabong Pipe Masters.

78 of 80

John John Florence (HAW) makes a late drop during Round 4.

79 of 80

Mick Fanning claims an exit at Pipe during Round 4. He advanced directly to the Quarterfinals over Kelly Slater and John John Florence.