Hawaii’s Ezekiel Lau has been knocking on the door as a junior surfer. The 20-year-old stepped right through it Sunday by winning the 39th annual Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.

The prestigious event is the biggest career win for Lau, who pocketed $40,000 and closes 2013 at 35th in the ASP world rankings. It doesn’t mean he will qualify for next year’s elite ASP World Championship Tour, but does provide an excellent seed for the talented young surfer. He is also tied for first with Michel Bourez of Tahiti in the Vans Triple Crown series rankings entering the upcoming Billabong Pipe Masters, where he received a wild-card entry.

"I can’t believe it," Lau said. "I was building confidence through each heat. It seemed like things were going in my favor and I was just getting the waves. This year has been kind of rough. You know that $40,000 feels good. Making the final is great. To come out with a win puts me in a better spot."

Lau needed a late charge to catch Damien Hobgood of Florida, who won $20,000 for finishing second, and Brazil’s Raoni Monteiro. Trailing for the majority of the final 35-minute heat, Lau posted a 6.83 (out of 10) on one of the largest waves of the heat. He quickly followed that up with a deep tube ride good enough for 8.67 and the win with a total of 15.50 points.

The Kamehameha Schools graduate had an ear-to-ear grin on the championship stage. He edged Hobgood to secure the win. Monteiro, who led through most of the final heat, wound up third with 12.33 points. Portugal’s Frederico Morais was fourth. He was named the JN Chevrolet rookie of the year for the Triple Crown.

Lau joins other past local champions who have won this event, including Michael Ho, Andy Irons and John John Florence. Waves were in the 3- to 5-foot range.

"I don’t even know what to say right now. That’s the first final I made all year, so to come out with a win feels great," Lau said. "To be in the final already felt crazy, so this win feels just ridiculous."

Lau started from Round 1 of the event working his way through seven heats while battling some of the toughest competitors in the surfing world, even topping 11-time world champion Kelly Slater on his way. For Lau, it doesn’t matter who is in his heat. He just wants to win.

"For sure, you get those nuts matchups, but out here the playing field is so even," Lau said. "You just really have to know the wave, surf out here a lot and if your boards are not dialed and you’re not catching the right waves, things can really go wrong for you."