Thousands of spectators have gathered in Hawaii to watch the world's greatest surfers compete. The Eddie Aikau contest, only held in extreme conditions, took place for just the eighth time in 25 years.
Some people camped out all night to get the best vantage points. Monster waves of 12m (40ft) pounded Oahu's famous North Shore, providing ideal conditions for the one-day event, which was last staged in 2004.
All eyes were on nine-times world champion Kelly Slater, who was the strongest starter. But the 37-year-old veteran lost to a younger American challenger.
All of the 28 competitors were experienced big-wave riders and many were professional surfers. Entrants were selected by a poll of surfers.
One commentator described the event as "unbelievably dangerous". Safety teams were in the water on jet skis in case of accidents. One surfer, Tom Carroll of Australia (not pictured), shattered an ankle in a tumble.
The 24-year-old winner, Greg Long (centre), from California, walked away with a cheque for $55,000 (�34,000). His childhood hero, Slater, looks on far left.
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