One Australian surfer experienced her first major victory yesterday, while another added to her record-breaking legacy.

Jessi Miley-Dyer and Layne Beachley shared the spotlight yesterday — Miley-Dyer won the Billabong Pro Maui; Beachley tied for third place, but clinched her record seventh women's world championship.

The final day of the contest was completed in picturesque 4- to 6-foot waves at Honolua Bay, Maui.

"It's surreal, absolutely surreal," Beachley said. "This is probably one of the most rewarding and satisfying world titles I've ever won."

Beachley, 34, has clinched five of her seven world titles at Honolua Bay. No other female surfer in the 30-year history of the women's tour has won more than four world championships.

"Maui obviously has a very special place in my heart," Beachley said. "It's such an amazing amphitheater. It's been such a beautiful day, and such a surreal experience. I don't know how to explain it."

Beachley became the 2006 world champion before she even surfed yesterday.

Fellow Australian Chelsea Georgeson was the only other surfer with a shot at the title, but she lost in the quarterfinals, thus allowing Beachley to clinch the championship.

"Once I found out that I was the champion, I could barely concentrate in my (quarterfinal heat)," Beachley said.

Miley-Dyer took advantage of the early celebration, beating Beachley in the semifinals.

Miley-Dyer then went on to defeat Kaua'i's Keala Kennelly in the one-on-one final to win the $10,600 first prize.

"I'm just so stoked to have been able to surf against Layne," said Miley-Dyer, who was 12 when Beachley won her first world championship in 1998. "She's won seven world titles, so to surf against her and manage to get all the good waves in that heat and then make the final and get another chance to surf Honolua with one other girl out ... well, it was just amazing."

Miley-Dyer, 20, is in her rookie season on the World Championship Tour. With her maiden victory yesterday, she also secured the 2006 Rookie of the Year award.

Kennelly nearly stole the show. She paddled into a barreling wave in the closing seconds of the final, but fell just before making it out.

"I was just inches away from a 10 and claiming the whole thing," Kennelly said. "I was standing up to celebrate already, so I got clipped in the head. I started celebrating too early, but it's cool. If I was going to lose, I was going to lose trying to get a 10."

Kennelly announced after the contest that she would not be competing on the 2007 WCT because she wants to pursue other interests, including acting. However, she said she is not retiring completely from surfing, and plans to enter selected events.

The Billabong Pro Maui was the final stop on the 2006 WCT, as well as the third, and final, event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing for women.

Peru's Sofia Mulanovich tied for fifth place yesterday, and clinched her first overall Triple Crown championship. She won the first event of the series at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach, and tied for seventh place in the second event at Sunset Beach.

The Triple Crown title is awarded to the best overall performer in the three events. Mulanovich received $10,000 as the Triple Crown champion.

Wai'anae's Melanie Bartels, who won the second Triple Crown event at Sunset Beach, tied for fifth place yesterday. She finished second in the Triple Crown standings.

BILLABONG PRO MAUI

FINAL RESULTS

1, Jessi Miley-Dyer (Australia), $10,600. 2, Keala Kennelly (Hawai'i), $6,600. 3 (tie), Claire Bevilacqua (Australia) and Layne Beachley (Australia), $4,250. 5 (tie), Sofia Mulanovich (Peru), Chelsea Georgeson (Australia), Rebecca Woods (Australia) and Melanie Bartels (Hawai'i), $3,500.

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR

2006 FINAL STANDINGS

1, Layne Beachley (Australia), 6,374 points. 2, Melanie Redman-Carr (Australia), 5,802. 3, Chelsea Georgeson (Australia), 5,797. 4, Jessi Miley-Dyer (Australia), 4,440. 5, Sofia Mulanovich (Peru), 4,105. 6, Rebecca Woods (Australia), 3,794. 7, Claire Bevilacqua (Australia), 3,564. 8, Keala Kennelly (Hawai'i), 3,516. 9, Silvana Lima (Brazil), 3,408. 10, Megan Abubo (Hawai'i), 3,398. 11, Rochelle Ballard (Hawai'i), 3,312. 12, Samantha Cornish (Australia), 3,218. 13, Heather Clark (South Africa), 3,180. 14, Julia Christian (California), 2,834. 15, Trudy Todd (Australia), 2,244. 16, Serena Brooke (Australia), 2,232. 17, Jacqueline Silva (Brazil), 2,142.