SURF SCENE with Andrew McKinnon

WOWEE, Maui! What a fantastic start to the Hawaiian season with the WSL Big Wave World Tour event seriously kicking off in 30ft plus waves at Pe'ahi, Jaws Maui. And for the first time, a Big Wave women's event took place alongside the men in sensational circumstances.

Three of the women finalist Keala Kennelly (HAW), Emily Erickson (HAW) and Laura Enever (AUS) were unable to compete after sustaining injuries in Round 1 and were carted off to hospital before the final. Big Wave WSL world champion Greg Long of California, who was a finalist in the men's, clearly explains the consequences of big wave surfing.

"I'm notorious for only catching one wave so I figured I'd break the curse and ride two,” Long said.

"It's fun and when the sets come they're plenty big. It's big and it's dangerous out here and can give you the worst wipe-outs of your life. There's no safe, easy way of surfing out at Jaws!” he said.

Both finals were won by Hawaiian locals. Billy Kemper took the men's title and local Maui rider, Paige Alms, created history in the first Big Wave world tour women's event.

"I still feel like that was a dream, I can't quite believe it,” Alms said.

"What a blessing to be out there with just a couple of girls, that was very special. The support feels so good and it's so cool to have all my friends here and do this at home,” she said.

Australia's best showing was from Felicity Palmateer with a third place in what turned out to be a three-woman final. Formerly from Margaret River, WA, and now based on the Gold Coast, Palmateer is a fearless big wave rider who got a late call-up when another contestant pulled out.

North Shore big wave legend Kemper made it two in a row and rode to victory with a massive barrel on a 40ft wave in the final.

Kemper and ratings leader Grant Baker (ZAF) shared a wave to open up the final, with Baker getting the best of the exchange. Long followed quickly on the second wave of the set and took the advantage with an excellent 8.83. Long backed up his first score on one of the bigger waves of the day with another excellent ride for 8.93. Kemper pulled into a barrel at the halfway mark to earn a perfect 10 and take the lead from Long and push Baker into third place, despite an excellent eight- point ride from the South African for a late drop.

"I've trained so hard for the last eight weeks,” Kemper said.

"I feel 100% this year and I didn't last year. I'm over the moon and I just surfed with a few of my heroes and pioneers of this sport, Greg (Long) and Twiggy (Grant Baker),” he said.

The last women's world tour event of the year is on at Honolua Bay, Maui from November 23 to December 5. In round one, Australia's new world champ Tyler Wright is facing South Africa's Bianca Buitendag and Hawaiian trialist winner.

The last heat is a cracker with former six-time world champ Stephanie Gilmore up against Hawaiian pair Malia Manuel and Coco Ho.

Ho needs a good result to requalify for next year's world tour.