Daniel Kereopa was crowned the inaugural Ultimate Waterman on Saturday, beating seven international athletes to claim the title.
The New Zealander went into the final day with a minimal points lead over Kai Lenny and did enough in the final discipline, the 15km stand up paddleboard endurance race, to hold off the young Hawaiian and claim the title.
An emotional Kereopa stood on the stage in front of a packed-out Mission Bay and explained what the title meant to him.
''I realised how many years I've put into surfing and paddling, all the hours of going out when it is real horrible, not spending time with my family and stuff and all the memories flooded back to me,'' he said.
He said nerves were getting to him on the final day of the event but he knew that he had to stick close to Kai for any chance of winning the title.
Earlier in the week, Kereopa was beaten by Lenny in the waka ama and shortboard surfing. However, his winning chances took a huge boost when he eclipsed Lenny in stand up paddleboard surfing before pipping him in the longboard.
On Saturday, Lenny needed to place first or second and have Kereopa place fifth for a shot at the title, but the two surfers placed fourth and fifth respectively.
Hawaiian Connor Baxter won the stand up paddleboard endurance race, the final discipline to be contested, to jump from eighth to third in the event.
