Australian Joel Parkinson made history yesterday at the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

By surfing a perfect heat in the third round, Parkinson, 27, made great use of the tubing, 4-to-6 foot surf (8-to 12-foot wave faces) yesterday, and Pipeline lined up perfectly for him.

“;Every now and then you have those random heats where everything goes your way that was one of those heats,”; Parkinson said.

Parkinson captured two perfect 10-point rides with breathtaking, backdoor barrels, dominating the heat. His throw-away score of 8.67 indicated the level of control Parkinson had on the competition.

While his competitor, Maui's Dusty Payne, 19, sat outside, Parkinson opted to sit deep on the inside.

“;They were sitting deep so I went and sat really deep,”; he said.

This was only the second time in ASP World Tour history that a surfer scored a 20 out of a possible 20 points in a single heat.

The last person to score two 10-point rides in a heat was nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, 36, at Teahupo'o. Slater surfed the perfect heat in the final of the Billabong Pro Tahiti in 2005, and went on to win the event.

“;Kelly did it in pretty unbelievable fashion,”; Parkinson admitted. “;Mine was just in a third-round heat at Pipe.”;

Despite downplaying the drama of his achievement, Parkinson's third-round heat was critical in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing overall rankings.

In claiming two perfect scores, Pakinson defeated Payne, who was leading the Triple Crown overall ratings. Parkinson was ranked third.

With yesterday's heat victory, Parkinson puts himself in great position to win his first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Championship.

“;It was a big heat for the Triple Crown, for sure, I gotta start thinking more about the Triple Crown,”; Parkinson said. “; I gotta forget about those two 10's, start surfing heats and not get too ahead of myself.”;

Parkinson has never won a Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title or a Billabong Pipeline Masters.

He has made the finals of the Pipe Masters twice before, finishing fourth in 2007 and runner-up in 2003.

Florida's CJ Hobgood, 29, also contributed to Parkinson's Triple Crown campaign. Hobgood, who won the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing last week, lost his third-round heat yesterday against Kauai's Evan Valiere, 25.

Hobgood was ranked second in the overall Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings and his loss yesterday leaves the door wide open for Parkinson.

When competition resumes, Parkinson will face Timmy Reyes, 26, in the fourth round. Although Parkinson is the favorite to win the 26th Annual Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, he is trying to keep the rest of the Billabong Pipeline Masters in perspective.

“;I'll think about the 10's after the event,”; Parkinson said. “;The next heat I paddle out in, I start with a zero so I gotta remember that.”;

With bad weather and windy conditions forecast today, the event will probably not run.

Instead, a new west/northwest swell is forecast for tomorrow and is looking good for the final day of competition.

Check 596-SURF to see if the third jewel of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is on.