2012 world champion Joel Parkinson of Australia has announced his retirement from the world surfing circuit, the WSL announced. Parkinson will not compete in events full-time after the Pipe Masters.

“I’ve decided this is going to be my last year on tour,” Parkinson said. “I’m going to finish at Pipe. I thought about finishing at Snappers but I think there’s no better place to say goodbye than Pipe, I have a lot of memories there, a lot of wins, so I thought this is it, this is my last trip around the world. It brings tears to my eyes to say that out loud.”

I'm at a point in my life where I enjoy my surfing, and I've enjoyed wearing a competition rashguard for quite a while, but that part of me isn't as strong as it was (...) Now my blood is running through my body to surf good waves now," he added.

Parko surfed for 18 years on the circuit, winning 12 CT tournaments that led to his 2012 title.

To kick off his post-retirement announcement moment, the Australian won his heat against current leader of the rankings, Julian Wilson, and local wild card Matthew McGillivray. It is worth noting that it was here at JBay that he won his first CT, when he was a 19-year-old wildcard.

“I can’t wait to have the opportunity to take my kids surfing and go to beautiful places where I don’t have to wear a rashguard. I can enjoy my surfing, all those little things, it’s going to be great,” she concluded.