Billy Kemper couldn't contain his excitement after winning his second-straight Pe'ahi Challenge on Friday. "This is what I live for right here," said the Maui native. "I've trained so hard for the last eight weeks...I'm over the moon."
Maui native Billy Kemper charged his way to victory at Jaws for the second year in a row.
And he wasn't the only one. The entire Maui surf community was pulling for Kemper, the only Hawaiian in this year's Final. They got a double dose too with their local lady Paige Alms taking a historic victory in the first-ever Women's Big Wave Tour event.
Kemper appeared much more excited this year than last, and he had good reason to be. This year's Final was a far more competitive affair thanks to non-stop action on the biggest sets of the day. In the early going it looked like California's Greg Long was running away with it. He raced across two massive green walls before anyone else in the Final had a decent score.
Billy Kemper's second-straight win involved a perfect 10 in the Final.
Grant "Twiggy" Baker eventually emerged as a threat, bagging a solid 8 in his column, and by the midway point each of the six finalists had at least one solid ride. But it was right around that point that Kemper bagged a perfect 10, and jumped into the lead. The score was well deserved, a big beautiful set complete with a dicey tube section on the inside, and when he emerged from its dark shadow loud cheers erupted from the flotilla in the channel and the ring of cliff-side spectators.
Kemper wasn't done. On the last wave of the entire day he pulled into another big cavern, though this time it slammed shut. "I didn't know I was winning so I just went for it on that last wave," he explained. "I've put a lot of work and effort into this…I feel 100 percent this year and I didn't last year," he added.
The Maui local caps off a historic day for women's surfing with a solid wave at Jaws.
Kemper's back-to-back wins at Pe'ahi, the world's most renowned big wave, is a remarkable feat, yet his wasn't the only history-making performance Friday. Paige Alms, another Maui local who's logged plenty of time at Jaws, secured her place in big-wave history by capturing the first ever Women's Big Wave Tour event, and the Women's Big Wave World Championship. In the end, over France's Justine Dupont, who's ranked No. 12 on the women's Qualifying Series.
For the first time ever, the women of big-wave surfing got Pe'ahi to themselves.
"I still feel like that was a dream, I can't quite believe it," said Alms. "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."
Billy Kemper and Paige Alms Make Maui Proud
WSL
Billy Kemper couldn't contain his excitement after winning his second-straight Pe'ahi Challenge on Friday. "This is what I live for right here," said the Maui native. "I've trained so hard for the last eight weeks...I'm over the moon."
And he wasn't the only one. The entire Maui surf community was pulling for Kemper, the only Hawaiian in this year's Final. They got a double dose too with their local lady Paige Alms taking a historic victory in the first-ever Women's Big Wave Tour event.
Kemper appeared much more excited this year than last, and he had good reason to be. This year's Final was a far more competitive affair thanks to non-stop action on the biggest sets of the day. In the early going it looked like California's Greg Long was running away with it. He raced across two massive green walls before anyone else in the Final had a decent score.
Grant "Twiggy" Baker eventually emerged as a threat, bagging a solid 8 in his column, and by the midway point each of the six finalists had at least one solid ride. But it was right around that point that Kemper bagged a perfect 10, and jumped into the lead. The score was well deserved, a big beautiful set complete with a dicey tube section on the inside, and when he emerged from its dark shadow loud cheers erupted from the flotilla in the channel and the ring of cliff-side spectators.
Kemper wasn't done. On the last wave of the entire day he pulled into another big cavern, though this time it slammed shut. "I didn't know I was winning so I just went for it on that last wave," he explained. "I've put a lot of work and effort into this…I feel 100 percent this year and I didn't last year," he added.
Kemper's back-to-back wins at Pe'ahi, the world's most renowned big wave, is a remarkable feat, yet his wasn't the only history-making performance Friday. Paige Alms, another Maui local who's logged plenty of time at Jaws, secured her place in big-wave history by capturing the first ever Women's Big Wave Tour event, and the Women's Big Wave World Championship. In the end, over France's Justine Dupont, who's ranked No. 12 on the women's Qualifying Series.
"I still feel like that was a dream, I can't quite believe it," said Alms. "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."
Grant Baker
2021 Men's Performer Of The Year Nominees: Kai Lenny, Peter Mel, Conor Maguire, Grant Baker, Sebastian Steudner, Ian Walsh, Nathan
2021 Men's Biggest Paddle Nominee Grant Baker at Mavericks on December 11, 2020. Video From Richard Hallman.
2021 Men's Ride Of The Year Grant Baker at Mavericks Grant Baker on December 11, 2020. Video from Richard Hallman.
Kai Lenny, Pete Mel, Twiggy and crew led the charge on a day that was pretty much as good as it gets at the NorCal big-wave spot.
Grant Baker, Russell Bierke, Lucas Chianca, Nathan Florence, Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, Tom Lowe, Eli Olson, Nic Von Rupp, and Ian Walsh.
Pe'ahi Women's Challenge
The Kauai native has achieved a lot of firsts. But this winter, she can claim another.
After winning the first-ever women's Big Wave Tour contest, the Maui local reflects on her triumph, her team and what's next.
Jaws delivers again for the WSL's Big Wave Tour event on Maui.
For the first time ever, the women of big-wave surfing got Pe'ahi to themselves.
Hawaiian native Paige Alms made history on November 11 when she became the first woman to win the Pe'ahi Challenge.