The power of the Banzai Pipeline has long been infamous for injuring surfers.

Maybe it can heal, too.

Intent on seizing a rare opportunity to surf at Pipeline, Australia's Claire Bevilacqua won the Culturalization/Tidal 9 Women's Pipeline Pro with an injured leg yesterday.

"The injury affected me because almost every wave, I felt a little wobbly," said Bevilacqua, 26. "But I was just so psyched up. I just tried to block it out. I was just so excited that I kept making heats. I think (the injury) was actually a blessing in disguise."

The Women's Pipeline Pro is the only all-female contest staged at the world famous Pipeline break. It featured divisions for shortboard surfing, longboard surfing and bodyboarding.

Bevilacqua, who was the No. 7-rated female surfer in the world in 2006, won the shortboard surfing division and $3,500.

"I'm not born and raised in Hawai'i, but I definitely feel a love and connection with the earth here," she said. "I definitely get off on the power of the wave."

Bevilacqua dropped off the prestigious ASP Women's World Tour in 2007, and is attempting a comeback this year.

The Women's Pipeline Pro is part of the World Qualifying Series, so the top surfers earned points toward possibly qualifying for the 2010 ASP Women's World Tour.

Bevilacqua said she was warming up for the contest on Wednesday when her left leg slammed into her surfboard during a wipeout.

"I thought I broke my leg," she said.

She iced it throughout the night and refused to withdraw yesterday.

"I put absolutely all the love I had into it," she said.

Punahou School sophomore Carissa Moore was a close runner-up.

Bevilacqua's two best waves in the final received scores of 9.33 and 8.5 for a total of 17.83 (out of 20). Moore's two best waves received a score of 16.5.

Anastasia Ashley placed third, and Laura Enever was fourth.

LONGBOARD SURFING

Cori Schumacher of Carlsbad, Calif., made the trip to Hawai'i because she wanted to see what it was like to surf the Pipeline waves on her longboard.

She wound up winning the contest along the way.

"It's what I expected — it's difficult, but still a lot of fun," said Schumacher, 31. "But what this contest is doing is showing other girls that it can be done. You're going to start seeing a lot more women out there, and the performance level is going to skyrocket."

Schumacher said yesterday was her first time surfing at Pipeline with a longboard. It was also her first time entering the Women's Pipeline Pro.

"The spirit of the event was the most important thing," she said. "And it benefitted the Girl Scouts of Hawai'i, so you can't go wrong with that."

Crystal Dzigas of Honolulu placed second, followed by Kaitlin McGuire of California, and Rachel Spear of O'ahu's North Shore.

BODYBOARDING

Luz Marie Grande Perez of Puerto Rico received a perfect 10 in the final to win the bodyboarding division.

The bodyboarding division was the first event on the International Bodyboarding Association's 2009 world tour. In effect, the victory vaulted Grande Perez into the No. 1 ranking.

Eunate Aguirre of Spain placed second, 2008 world champion Neymara Carvalho of Brazil was third, and Jessica Becker of Brazil was fourth.

There were more than 150 competitors in the three divisions for the contest.

The three-day contest was a benefit for the Girl Scouts of Hawai'i and Camp Paumalu.

FINAL RESULTS

SHORTBOARD SURFING

1, Claire Bevilacqua (Australia), $3,500. 2, Carissa Moore (Hawai'i), $1,900. 3, Anastasia Ashley (California), $1,600. 4, Laura Enever (Australia), $1,500. 5 (tie), Sage Erickson (California) and Rochelle Ballard (Hawai'i), $850. 7 (tie), Megan Abubo (Hawai'i) and Paige Alms (Hawai'i), $800.

LONGBOARD SURFING

1, Cori Schumacher (California), $2,000. 2, Crystal Dzigas (Hawai'i), $1,000. 3, Kaitlin McGuire (California), $800. 4, Rachel Spear (Hawai'i), $700. 5 (tie), Jen Smith (California) and Bianca Valenti (California), $400. 7 (tie), Candice Appleby (Hawai'i) and Ashley Quintal (Hawai'i), $300.

BODYBOARDING

1, Luz Marie Grande Perez (Puerto Rico), $3,000. 2, Eunate Aguirre (Spain), $1,900. 3, Neymara Carvalho (Brazil), $1,500. 4, Jessica Becker (Brazil), $1,000. 5 (tie), Claudia Ferrari-Costa (Hawai'i) and Lilly Pollard (Australia), $700. 7 (tie), Daniela Freitas-Ronquilio (Brazil) and Asako Shiotsuki (Japan), $500.