Two heat wins with the key wave in the last 90 seconds secured the trophy for the Gold Coast rider.
Behind in the fifth round he snatched victory with his final effort of 9.5 to beat CJ Hopgood.
Then, when behind in the quarter-final against world number 32 Australian Yadin Nicol, Fanning needed 9.57 to make the semis – he scored a 9.70.
“I just saw the set on the horizon, and I thought ‘alright, whatever’s going to come, I’m just going to try and pick the right one,'” Fanning said.
“That wave came and it was so beautiful.
“I’m just overwhelmed with emotion right now, its incredible.”
Fanning bowed out in the semi, but he’d done just enough to hold off the charge of Kelly Slater, who would go on to win his seventh Pipe Masters with a win in the final over 2012 World Champ Joel Parkinson.
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