Australian Jack Robinson and Meah Collins of California took top honors Friday at the Surf Shop Pro Junior in heavy 10-foot surf at Sunset Beach.
For Robinson, 16, of Western Australia, the win marked his first victory in Hawaiian waters.
He was on fire the entire event, posting the highest combined total with a two-wave score of 19.40 in the semifinals and a 17.34 in the final.
The final heat featured a stacked international field that included Miguel Tudela of Peru, Kalani David of Hawaii and Leonardo Fiorvanti of Italy. He took the win decisively with electric power turns combined with his casual style in the unruly surf.
"It feels really good. I have just been surfing a lot of hours out here and it finally paid off," Robinson said. "I was just trying not to sit too deep because there was a gnarly current out there, so you don’t want to get sucked out and miss all the good ones.
"I wasn’t too worried about anyone else. I just focused on what I had to do and had fun basically."
Collins, 14, of Costa Mesa, Calif., took the women’s title.
She surfed well beyond her years, charging the large waves without a flinch. Collins is the daughter of former professional surfer Richie Collins, who was known to do well at Sunset in his day.
Collins took out a solid final that featured Hawaii’s Dax McGill, Tatiana Weston-Webb and Brisa Hennessey.
"I am very stoked! I am so happy right now," Collins said. "When I came over here I told my mom that I was going to win this.
"When I went out there in the final, I thought, ‘I don’t even care if I win, I am just so happy to be here’ and I was just thanking the lord that I am here in Hawaii. Then I won and it made it even better."