All eyes now turn to The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing hydrated by vitaminwater® – the world’s premier series of professional surfing events that will culminate with a 2-man battle between Kelly Slater (USA) and Mick Fanning (AUS) for the 2013 men’s ASP World Title. From November 12 through December 20, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, $960,000 in prize money and a number of highly coveted titles will be offered across three ASP sanctioned events, including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series champion:

THE REEF HAWAIIAN PRO 
Nov. 12-23, Haleiwa Ali’i Beach
ASP Prime Prize Purse: $250,000
Defending Champion: Sebastian Zietz (Hawaii)

THE VANS WORLD CUP OF SURFING
Nov. 24-Dec. 6, Sunset Beach
ASP Prime Prize Purse: $250,000
Defending Champion: Adam Melling (Australia)

THE BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS 
Dec. 8-20, Banzai Pipeline – WORLD TITLE DECIDER
ASP World Championship Tour Prize Purse: $450,000
Defending Champion: Joel Parkinson (Australia)

DEFENDING ASP WORLD CHAMPION: Joel Parkinson (Australia)
DEFENDING VANS TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPION: Sebastian Zietz (Hawaii)
CURRENT ASP WORLD RATINGS LEADER: Mick Fanning (Australia)

Australia’s Mick Fanning controls the ASP World Championship Tour rankings after nine events. He holds the lead over Kelly Slater (USA), who is the only surfer that can possibly stand between him and the 2013 title. For Slater, it’s a tall order, but one he has filled before: Win the Billabong Pipe Masters and make sure his rival places no higher than 5th. Nothing less will do.

Fanning is well aware of the stakes, being a two-time world champion who won the world title here in 2007 and 2009. He has signed up for all three events of the Vans Triple Crown and will be at the top his game for the ultimate showdown at Pipe.

The Vans Triple Crown is a tradition in its own right that has been upheld for the past 30 years. It is awarded to the most consistent performer across all three of the events of the series and carries a $10,000 bonus.

Incredibly, Fanning has never won any of the individual events of the series, nor the Vans Triple Crown title. A feature of every great surfer’s accomplishments through history, there’s no doubt he has his eyes on it. Expect to see his major competition for the Triple Crown title come in the form of Hawaii’s own John John Florence and Sebastian Zietz. They will be applying the pressure from the get-go, when competition begins at Haleiwa’s Reef Hawaiian Pro, November 12.

The Hawaiian Airlines AirShow also returns again this year, offering 250,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles to the surfer who executes the most spectacular aerial maneuver of the series. Florence claimed the miles last year and is expected to be a front-runner again this winter.

Each of the three events of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing has a two-week holding period within which to run, requiring just 3-4 days of excellent surf to be completed. To find out when the event is running, log on to: www.VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com.

30 years Triple Crown of Surfing – Best moments

Via ASP