The reigning Champ is the first to win back-to-back Titles since Kelly Slater in 2011.
Freestone's hopes for staying on the Championship Tour in 2018 were dashed by Kolohe Andino, but not without a fight.
With tubes in short supply on Saturday, competitors went back to the big moves in their game plans.
After several days off, just three heats ran Saturday at Pipe. But with elimination heats up next, the World Title heat is rising.
Rookie of the Year race takes center stage on a short day in Hawaii.
Two of the four World Title contenders will face early elimination at Pipeline. Florence and Smith forge ahead.
World No. 1 John John Florence jumps to Round Three while No. 2 Gabriel Medina will face Round Two's sudden-death heat.
A rundown of all the best action from an explosive day on the North Shore of Oahu.
The current world No. 2, who's chasing a World Title, gets a second chance in Round Two.