After winning his first World Championship back in 1996, Bonga Perkins has often come frustratingly close to repeating the feat, but not until now has he come up with the goods.

Battling it out at San Onofre, Perkins made certain that 2008 was his year with an impressive display that defeated Frenchman Antoine Delpero in the final. Nearing the end of his pro career, Perkins relief was clearly evident, "I'd been close so many times [over the past years], I was hoping that the second [world title] would come through before I bow out. I can't even speak right now, I'm just blown away."

Hosting the event at San Onofre in November was quite a risk, but thankfully Mother Nature didn't disappoint at the first longboard championship event held in California since 1994. With ample amounts of swell and sunshine from the first horn blow, this deciding event was full of upsets.

As each round passed, the number of contenders dwindled: McPhillips' heat provided little opportunity to prove his prowess at his local break; points leader Harley Ingleby fell victim to Ned Snow, who put together the highest heat total of the event; and Mathew Moir couldn't find an answer to the experience and ability of 49-year-old Alex 'Picuruta' Salazar.

This left just Delpero and Perkins to go head to head in the final, but despite Delporo's noble effort he was unable to match the power and precision of Perkins' surfing. Met by fellow Hawaiians Rusty Keaulana and Dino Miranda after his win, the boys can only hope that this latest achievement is the start of another run of Hawaiian domination.