Shortly after Australian surfer Julian Wilson won the Tahiti Pro to burst into the world title race, his good mate Mick Fanning was there to embrace him.
The moment came two years after the pair shared a terrifying ordeal when Fanning was attacked by a great white shark during the final of a contest in South Africa.
Wilson, who was in the water competing with Fanning at Jeffreys Bay, was hailed a hero after paddling towards the shark to help his friend who was knocked off his board.
On Sunday in Teauhpo'o, Wilson scored a brilliant comeback win in the final over Brazil's Gabriel Medina.
It's Wilson's first trophy since the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii three years ago.
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"I'm not going to cry, but I feel like crying," Wilson said.
"I'm pretty worn out. I'm ecstatic. I've got nothing left in me."
The victory moved Wilson from eighth to fifth in the world rankings and a chance of snaring his first world title with four events remaining this season.
South Africa's Jordy Smith, who reached the semi-finals in Tahiti, is the new series leader heading into the next WSL event at Lower Trestles in California on September 6-17.
Reigning world champion, Hawaii's John John Florence, is second ahead of Australia's Matt Wilkinson and Owen Wright, who was knocked out in the quarter-finals by Medina.
Wilkinson lost the top ranking in Tahiti after being eliminated in the fifth round on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Wilson trailed for most of the final but finished superbly with a carving effort on his penultimate wave, scoring 9.23 to put him within striking distance of Medina.
His clinical barrel ride in the final minutes was awarded 9.73, giving Wilson victory by a combined 18.96 to 17.87.
"Just so happy and relieved just to finally win an event again," he said.
"I knew I was back in the heat in a big way. It really turned on for us in the final. We had some great opportunities."
Wilkinson, meanwhile, had a difficult day in losing to Brazilian Wiggolly Dantas.
The loss continues his struggles in Tahiti, having been unable to progress past the quarter-finals.
