A record number of Australians will gang up on Hawaii's top dog Andy Irons next year on the men's world surfing championship tour.

Irons confirmed his status as the world's premier boardrider by winning the Pipeline Masters in solid 1.8m right-handers at Backdoors on Wednesday, taking out the 35-minute final from veteran Pipe charger Shane Dorian, six-times world champion Kelly Slater and Australia's Mick Fanning.

As Irons' celebrations began - he knows how to party - the line-up for next year's 45-man tour was completed.

Beau Emerton from the Gold Coast was the only Australian relegated back to the world qualifying series.

The top 27 this year automatically retained their places in the big time but Emerton finished 29th.

He could consider himself unlucky. Fellow Australians Shane Powell and Dean Morrison ended up 28th and 30th respectively, but they scraped through thanks to wildcards.

Morrison was given his free ride in consideration of injuries sustained during the year.

Emerton's absence was compensated by the arrival via qualifying of Sydney quartet Chris Davidson (Narrabeen), Tom Whitaker (Bronte), Toby Martin (Manly) and Luke Stedman (Mona Vale), taking Australia's representation to an unprecedented 24.

While Irons was head and shoulders above the rest this year, winning four finals, the next seven places on the rankings were filled by Australians.

But Australia still hasn't had a male world champion since Mark Occhilupo back in 1999.

Irons, who sealed his crown two weeks ago at Sunset Beach, turned the Masters into his own personal victory parade, although it was a close shave on Wednesday.

Dorian led with three minutes to go and took the first wave of the biggest set of the final. He pulled in and got tubed, only to exit and see Irons behind him in an even bigger, cleaner, deeper barrel.

Irons threw his arms in the air and Dorian's chances sank. Slater and Fanning were never in the hunt.

"I couldn't have kept my arms down if they were dead-bolted - it was just pure emotion," said Irons.

"I wouldn't have been able to write a finish this perfect. My friends are so stoked and as far as I'm concerned, they won too, and my family. They won with me and have been so supportive, psyching me up. It's been unreal."

Fanning finished fifth on the rankings, ensuring he was named rookie of the year.

"I wasn't doing that well at the start of the year, but then I had a win at J-Bay (in South Africa) and made the final in Brazil," he said.

"To finish the year here and make the final at Pipe, I was just so stoked ... it's just been a great year."

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