Kaua'i's Tyler Newton won the boys division of the Rip Curl GromSearch International Championship surfing contest yesterday at Bells Beach, Australia.

Newton, 16, had a two-wave score of 18.0 (out of 20) to win the final heat. He received a near-perfect 9.5 midway through the heat, then secured the victory with five minutes remaining with an 8.5.

"What an amazing final — toughest I've surfed by far, and we were all just pushing each other to score bigger and bigger," Newton said.

Fellow Kaua'i surfer Alex Smith also reached the final, placing fourth.

Brazil's Peterson Crisanto placed second, and Australia's Davey Cathels was third.

The contest featured the world's best surfers age 16 and younger.

Newton qualified for the contest by winning the Rip Curl GromSearch USA Championship last November at Salt Creek, Calif.

Newton is the third Hawai'i surfer in as many years to win a GromSearch international championship. Mason Ho won the boys title in 2005, and Alana Blanchard won the girls title in 2006.

No Hawai'i surfers reached the girls final yesterday.