Which Australian surfer won the 2012 men’s World Surf League championship?

Joel Parkinson won the 2012 men’s World Surf League championship.

Parkinson secured his first and only men’s world title in 2012, completing a career-long goal after years of finishing among the leading surfers. He was known for smooth style, powerful rail surfing and strong performance in a wide range of conditions.

The championship was awarded under the organization’s former name, the Association of Surfing Professionals, which became the World Surf League in 2015. That naming change can make older title records look different even though they belong to the same top-level professional championship lineage.

Mick Fanning was another Australian champion and a major rival during Parkinson’s career, but he did not win the 2012 title. Kelly Slater won the championship in 2011, and Gabriel Medina followed Parkinson as champion in 2014.