Men's World Title Race Heads to Pipe
Men's World Champion to be crowned at the Billabong Pipe Masters.

The men's World Title race is so close that the winner could could come down to a surf-off. A surf-off happens when, after the last event of the season, two athletes are tied on final rankings points, so an additional heat (or more) is needed to determine the World Title winner. If ties between specific surfers happen, the 2014 Title winner will be determined only with an additional faceoff -- a protocol that has been used only once before in ASP history.

On the men's Tour, Mick Fanning (AUS) and Gabriel Medina (BRA) could end up deadlocked if Medina is eliminated in Rounds 2 or 3 and Fanning finishes in equal fifth. According to the ASP Rule Book, in the event two surfers are tied for a World Title by the conclusion of the Billabong Pipe Masters, there will be a surf-off, the format of which would be determined by Commissioners office and the Tour Manager. ASP Commissioners Kieren Perrow and Jessi Miley-Dyer along with Tour Manager Renato Hickel have created the following protocol:

  • The ideal scenario is to hold three heats, 30 minutes each, in a best-of-three surf-off. There would be 20-minute breaks between the heats for a total time of 2 hours and 10 minutes if all three heats are needed.

  • In a situation where there is not enough time for a best-of format, there will be a single heat surf-off of minimum 35 minutes.

The only instance of an ASP surf-off was in 2011, when Caio Ibelli (BRA) and Garrett Parkes (AUS) had a single sudden-death heat to decide the World Junior title.

2011 World Junior Championship Surf-Off: Caio Ibelli vs. Garrett Parkes
Caio Ibelli (BRA) and Garrett Parkes (AUS) go head-to-head for World Junior title.

Check out the ASP's complete Title coverage and tune in to the Billabong Pipe Masters daily starting December 8 to watch the drama unfold.

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