Western Australia's Felicity Palmateer has finished third overall in the World Surf League's inaugural event on the Big Wave Tour, with Hawaiian Paige Alms conquering the fearsome 12-metre waves at Jaws in Maui to be crowned champion.
Sydney's Laura Enever survived a big tumble "over the falls" in a rising 10-metre swell on Saturday (AEDT) in the heats, but was one of three finalists unable to compete in the 60-minute surfing decider, because of injuries sustained in the first round, alongside Hawaiian duo Keala Kennelly and Emily Erickson.
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Monster waves at Pe'ahi Challenge
Surfers competed on huge waves at Jaws with a female big wave competition run for the first time. Vision courtesy World Surf League
Perth girl Palmateer matched up against Maui local Alms and France's Justine Dupont, with Alms claiming a convincing win – with a score of 21.66 over Dupont's 10.77 and Palmateer's 1.63 – to become the first female Big Wave Tour champion.
Congrats @paigealms, Women's #PeahiChallenge winner & Big Wave World Champion!! #DontCrackUnderPressure @TAGHeuer pic.twitter.com/A34aF0cHWa
— World Surf League (@wsl) 12 November 2016
![Laura Enever takes on Jaws.](/web/20161116012516im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/n/u/q/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsnrb8.png/1479017918776.jpg)
"I still feel like it's kind of a dream, but ah, I can't believe it," Alms told the World Surf League after her win. "What a blessing to be out there with just a couple girls. That was special, for sure.
"The support feels so good and it's so cool to have all my friends here and do this at home. This has been a dream to have an event for the women here.
"A few of the girls got hurt and I'm bummed that they weren't out there with us but they'll be back for more. I hope we get more opportunities so thank you WSL, this was really big."
Such events usually welcome specialised big-wave surfers, with organisers waiting until the best possible moment to capitalise on the famous break, also known as Jaws, on the north shore of Maui. Jaws is a renowned big-wave zone, where surfers are often towed into the face of monster waves.
![Local legend and big-wave specialist Makua Rothman rides a Jaws monster estimated at 15-plus metres in 2012.](/web/20161116012516im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/n/r/c/a/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsnrb8.png/1479017918776.jpg)
"To run WSL Big Wave events, we require swells and storm systems of immense size and energy," Big Wave Tour commissioner Peter Mel said.
"These are dynamic entities that change frequently.
![WA's Felicity Palmateer finished 2nd in her heat in rising 10-metres swell.](/web/20161116012516im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/n/s/1/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsnrb8.png/1479017918776.jpg)
"We have been monitoring this system very closely and have determined to focus the entire event for Friday morning, where we will have the biggest and best conditions."
The men's event was won by Hawaii's Billy Kemper, with the victory moving him up nine places in the world rankings to No.4.
AAP, Fairfax Media