John John Florence had already gotten off his board to hug Jamie O’Brien and congratulate his fellow Hawaiian on winning the Volcom Pipe Pro.

But as Florence got back on his board and looked out to the ocean – with just seconds on the clock – he turned around and caught a wave that earned him a 9.93, a near-perfect score that shot him into first-place,  shocking everyone and unexpectedly winning the event.

The 5-star contest wrapped up today with one of the most dramatic finals in surfing history, many said, capping a week filled with action that started last Saturday.  More than 10 Orange County surfers battled at the barreling wave – the surf getting so massive that organizers had to hold the contest mid-week.

CHECK OUT IMAGES FROM THE FINAL DAY BELOW:

San Clemente surfer Nate Yeomans made it to the final- the only non-Hawaiian –  but just couldn’t find the score he needed to play catch-up against the others.

“I couldn’t even believe it,” said Florence, who had won the event the previous year and nabbed the Triple Crown title. “I  don’t even really remember it.  This means so much, especially how it happened, it was a good battle with Jaime.”

O’Brien was in the lead for 34 minutes and 50 seconds of the 35-minute final. But O’Brien knew that at Pipeline, you can never be sure until the horn blows – and when the guys on the jet ski said they were going to pick him up, he said “it’s not over.”

“The wave just sucked right to him. (John John) has  been a wave magnet. I told John it was his hug,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien had nabbed a 9.0 ride early on and grabbing an 8.33 while the other surfers had yet to even put scores on the board.

Then, he got a 9.47, for a big fat score of 18.47 (out of 20).  Many people thought it was pretty much over at that point.

Kai Barger gave him a run the entire final. He got an 8.87 and then backed it by getting a deep barrel to earn a 9.33 – putting him just .27 behind first place.

But then, as everyone counted him out, Florence blasted out of the final wave, and shot from third to first place faster than you can say Pipeline.

“I was stoked,” he said, flashing a huge smile as he was handed $1,000 in cash for his perfect 10 ride. “I’m trippin’ right now, I can’t even believe it.”

If there’s anyone who can be combo’d and turn it around to win the event with just minutes on the clock – especially at Pipeline – it’s Florence. He’s the Triple Crown winner, won this event last year, and basically lives in front of the surf break.

“John John Florence has just pulled off the most impossible win,” said announcer Chris Cote, as the beach went wild with his unexpected win.

The event wrapped up with much discussion about the “Live Like Sion” fund, with $10,000 raised in honor of the Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky, who died at Mavericks last year. Throughout the event, Volcom held contests and encouraged people to donate to keep the Hawaiian surfers’ legacy alive.

Follow reporter Laylan Connelly on Twitter @ ocbeaches, or at facebook.com/ocbeaches.

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