Joel Centeio won the Reef Hawaiian Pro men's surfing contest in his self-proclaimed backyard today.
The final day of the prestigious contest was run in wave-face heights that ranged from 10 to 20 feet at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach.

Centeio, who lives across the street from the contest site, won four heats yesterday, including the four-man final.

He caught just two waves in the 35-minute final, but it was enough for him to win the $20,000 first place check.

The clinching wave came midway through the heat, when Centeio successfully rode through a big barreling wave that received a near-perfect score of 9.33 (out of 10).

The Reef Hawaiian Pro is the first event in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series, so Centeio is the early leader in the chase for the Triple Crown title.

C.J. Hobgood of Florida was second, Jay Thompson of Australia was third, and Alain Riou of Tahiti fourth.

The second event in the Triple Crown series is the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. The holding period for that contest begins tomorrow.