The battle to become Champion has come down to the final event of the season, the Billabong Pipe Masters. After a day of action that saw the Men’s Pipe Invitational narrow the list of potential wildcards to four, Gabriel Medina (BRA), Mick Fanning (AUS) and Kelly Slater (USA) discussed their Tour seasons and their gameplans going into Pipe.

More: Slater, Fanning, Medina Reveal Pipe Strategies - ASP

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Happy new year everyone!
Thought I would put together some of my aerial footage of 2013.
All shots were on the North Shore of Oahu, Pipeline.
More winter swells to come!
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More: Theatre of Sport: Billabong Pipeline Masters

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This series is Red Bull’s exclusive look into the emotional intricacies of a WCT event. It’s a charged journey through the ups and downs, the thick and the thin.

Ask anyone with a half decent memory and they’ll tell you that the 2013 Billabong Pipeline Masters had no shortage of drama. Some people got hurt; others won world titles. But everybody got really, really barreled.

Follow Mick Fanning for the most critical 60 minutes of the year — and watch him win a world title.

It couldn’t have been written any better. The 2013 ASP World Title came down to the year’s very last day of competition in the best waves of the year. Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning were fighting for the crown and the only thing separating either man from it was a 10-foot wave at Pipeline. Mick only had to win two heats to seal the deal; he only had to catch four waves. 4 Waves, 1 Hour takes you through that final day, exposing one of the most interesting, exciting and nerve-racking 60 minutes in the history of surfing. Just press play and see it all through Mick’s eyes, you little champion you.

More: Video: Mick Fanning in 4 Waves, 1 Hour

Haven’t found a way to embed Red Bull videos yet. Well worth watching. Red Bull is making some great videos these days.

More: KELLY SLATER WINS VOLCOM PIPE PRO

Pipeline, on the North Shore of Oahu, delivered moments of pure perfection for this contest. Slater is obviously still the man to beat in waves of consequence.

More: MICK FANNING WINS ASP WORLD TITLE

Kelly Slater had a magical run to the finals in this contest. He did exactly what he set out to do. Unfortunately for him, Mick was able to pull a rabbit out of the hat in two consecutive heats, snagging a great wave in the dying seconds of each to get the scores he needed to advance past the Quarter Finals and win the world title. Fortunately, the loss of the title frustrated Slater enough for him to commit to another year on the tour. Good news for surf fans everywhere.

More: Live Webcast

Coming up shortly - the final of the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons. The waves have been pumping all day and two of the best surfers to ever tackle the famous reef of Banzai Pipeline are about to hit the water for the final heat of the 2013 season. Mick Fanning won the necessary heats to secure his 2013 ASP World Title, but was eliminated shortly thereafter. Slater, obviously frustrated about losing the world title is surfing like a man possessed and has racked up the highest scores of the entire event. John John is the only other surfer doing as well as Slater. Tune in now!!!

More: Behind the Hawaiian Title Fight

Words by JJ

Ding Ding Ding, Are you ready for this?

A whole lotta mad s#!t is predicted to go down tomorrow at surfing’s main arena!

The surf forecast is off the charts - Pipe is supposed to be eight-to-12-maybe-even-bigger foot, we’re talking Second and Third Reef.

And not only is there an incredible showdown between Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater unfolding, but a host of back-stories that quite possible make the final day of the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters one for the ages.

Let’s look a little closer at some of the surfers remaining in the draw …

This is going to be heavy. Pipeline is already in the 12-15’ range this evening as I write this. Conditions, swell angle and winds are all extremely favorable. The world’s best will be faced with serious surf tomorrow. Contest call is set for 7:30am Hawaiian time. Not to be missed!

More: BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS: DAY TWO

The most interesting moment of the contest was when Mick Fanning interfered with John John Florence’s final wave in their Round 4 heat. It was a strategic move on his part to avoid facing Florence in Round 5. Florence is surfing in his own backyard here at Pipeline and knows this wave better than most. He is a very difficult draw for anyone, including potential world champs.

More: BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS: DAY ONE

Pipeline - the most famous wave in the world. Day one of this years Pipe Masters contest began with near perfect Pipeline surf. Sometime during this contest, the ASP 2013 World Title will be decided. If Mick Fanning gets past the Quarter Finals, he will win the title, even if Kelly Slater wins the contest. Kelly is basically in the position of needing a miracle to win title #12 this year. That being said, he is the greatest competitive surfer ever, so don’t write him off just yet. If Mick loses in the Quarters or before, Kelly still has to win the event to claim the title. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this in pro surfing!