Surfing's best got redefined.

Again.

Florida's Kelly Slater — already long-recognized as the greatest competitor in the sport — added another chapter to his illustrious career by winning the Billabong Pipeline Masters yesterday.

The final day of the prestigious contest was run in 6- to -10-foot waves (with wave-face heights around 10 to 20 feet) at the Banzai Pipeline.

The Pipeline Masters is the third — and most coveted — jewel in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Australia's Joel Parkinson was eliminated in the fourth round yesterday, but clinched the overall Triple Crown championship.

Slater won his first Pipeline Masters title in 1992 when he was 20. Yesterday, at age 36, he won it for a record sixth time.

"It doesn't really startle me," he said. "I felt for a long time that my best surfing is still ahead of me."

This year was proof. Slater won his record ninth world championship in 2008 by dominating the men's world tour. He won six of the 11 contests on the tour, including yesterday's.

Because Slater had already clinched the world title in October, he contemplated not even entering the Pipeline Masters.

"Inexplicable," he said. "I wasn't even worried about surfing the event, so to surf it and win it ... means a lot."

Slater defeated California's Chris Ward in the one-on-one final, 14.0-7.23.

Interestingly, it was Slater's lowest score of the contest. In the semifinals, he received a perfect 10 and had a two-wave total of 19.0 (out of 20). In the quarterfinals, he had a two-wave score of 18.63, and in the fourth round, it was 19.4.

"It was disappointing that the waves didn't really turn on for us in the final," Slater said. "That's what we're here for, to put on a show for the people, at least give them some big wipeouts or something. In the final, there weren't too many waves but I picked the right ones."

Because of the anticlimactic final, Slater said his defining moment of the contest came during his semifinal victory over California's Tim Reyes.

Slater trailed for most of the heat, but scored a 9.0 for a left-handed barrel, then got the perfect 10 for a right-handed barrel about a minute later.

"At that moment, I thought I was going to win the contest," he said. "When those things click and fall into place, it's sort of for a reason."

Ward's runner-up finish was his best showing in a world tour contest.

"I would have loved that win, but Kelly got all the good waves," Ward said. "It was very hard out there. I think I missed a couple of good ones in the beginning, but it's all good. I'm happy."

Ward eliminated Slater at last year's Pipeline Masters.

"He got me out here last year, so I owed him one," Slater said.

Slater's victory in the final — or Ward's loss — gave the Triple Crown title to Parkinson for the first time in his career. He won the title despite not winning any of the three North Shore contests.

"I've come runner-up for the Triple Crown a couple of time," Parkinson said. "So no hard feelings for (Ward), but I really didn't want that to happen again. It feels amazing to actually take it home this time."

Surprisingly, the Hawai'i surfers did not fare that well yesterday, or during this year's Triple Crown.

Kaua'i surfers Andy Irons and Kamalei Alexander, and the North Shore's Jamie O'Brien were eliminated in the quarterfinals and all tied for fifth place.

Irons needed a score of 5.67 in the closing seconds of his quarterfinal against Ward, but received a 5.0 at the buzzer.

It is the first time since 1990 that a Hawai'i surfer did not place among the top four at the Pipeline Masters.

This year was also the first time since 1995 that a Hawai'i surfer did not win at least one of the Triple Crown contests.

The Pipeline Masters was also the final event of the 2008 world tour. Slater was non-committal about his plans for 2009.

"Right now would be a great time to retire," he said with a smile. "But I don't know."

Fred Patacchia Jr. of Hale'iwa finished the year as Hawai'i's top-ranked surfer at No. 12. Irons finished No. 13.

BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS

FINAL RESULTS

1, Kelly Slater (Florida), $30,000. 2, Chris Ward (California), $!8,000. 3 (tie), Tim Reyes (California) and Adrian Buchan (Australia), $12,000. 5 (tie), Luke Stedman (Australia), Jamie O'Brien (Hawai'i), Kamalei Alexander (Hawai'i) and Andy Irons (Hawai'i), $9,000. 9 (tie), Marcus Hickman (Hawai'i), Joel Parkinson (Australia), Kieren Perrow (Australia), Aritz Aranburu (Basque), Adriano de Souza (Brazil), Tom Whitaker (Australia), Bede Durbidge (Australia) and Evan Valiere (Hawai'i), $6,300.

2008 ASP WORLD TOUR

FINAL RATINGS

1, Kelly Slater (Florida). 2, Bede Durbidge (Australia). 3, Taj Burrow (Australia). 4, Joel Parkinson (Australia). 5, C.J. Hobgood (Florida). 6, Adrian Buchan (Australia). 7, Adriano de Souza (Brazil). 8, Mick Fanning (Australia). 9, Bobby Martinez (California). 10, Jeremy Flores (France). 11, Luke Stedman (Australia). 12, Fred Patacchia Jr. (Hawai'i). 13, Andy Irons (Hawai'i). Also: 20, Bruce Irons (Hawai'i). 28, Roy Powers (Hawai'i). 39, Pancho Sullivan (Hawai'i).