Australia's Stephanie Gilmore continues her amazing run through the world of women's surfing.

Gilmore won the Billabong Pro Maui contest and clinched the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing championship yesterday at Ho'okipa Beach, Maui.

It is her second consecutive Billabong Pro Maui victory, and her first Triple Crown title. Earlier this month, she clinched her second consecutive ASP Women's World Tour championship.

And she's only 20.

"To win so much in my short career is incredible and it feels great, but I know there is so much more to accomplish," Gilmore said. "Next year is going to be incredible. We have so much talent on the tour and so many young girls who are really pushing the boundaries of surfing. I can't wait to get home and prepare for next season."

The quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the Billabong Pro Maui were run in 1- to 3-foot waves yesterday. The final day was moved to Ho'okipa because of a lack of waves at the original site, Honolua Bay.

Gilmore defeated Wai'anae's Melanie Bartels in the one-on-one final, 17.6-14.8. The heat was close early, but Gilmore took control midway through with a score of 9.57 (out of 10).

Gilmore won two of the three contests in the prestigious Triple Crown series.

"It's a real honor to be considered a good surfer in Hawai'i and in such a variety of conditions," she said.

Gilmore received $22,000 — $12,000 for the contest, and $10,000 for the Triple Crown. She dominated the 2008 ASP Women's World Tour, winning five of the eight contests, including yesterday.

Bartels received $7,000 for her second-place showing. She finished the 2008 tour ranked No. 7 — her best showing in her four years on the tour.

"I'm going to train my butt off in the off-season," said Bartels, 26. "I beat (Gilmore) earlier this season in really good waves in Brazil, and then finished second to her today so that's given me the confidence to believe in my ability. The next step is to ensure that I am putting 100 percent into the entire year."

Megan Abubo of Waialua and Honolulu teenager Carissa Moore were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Layne Beachley of Australia was eliminated by Gilmore in the semifinals. It was Beachley's last contest as a world tour surfer. She will retire with a women's record of seven world championships.

"Of course I would have liked to go out with a win and on top, but I also feel like this past season and these past events haven't defined my career," said Beachley, 36. "I've won seven ASP women's world titles and have had an incredible journey of a career, so I suppose the most rewarding part of this is that I'm leaving professional women's surfing in the hands of such capable and exciting young surfers."

The Billabong Pro Maui was the final contest of 2008, so it was the last chance for surfers to qualify for the 2009 tour.

Hawai'i surfers assured of spots on the 2009 tour are Bartels, Alana Blanchard of Kaua'i, and Coco Ho of Sunset Beach. Abubo is considered the first alternate, and should get a spot on the 2009 tour once the paperwork for Beachley's retirement is completed.

BILLABONG PRO MAUI

1, Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), $12,000. 2, Melanie Bartels (Hawai'i), $7,000. 3 (tie), Layne Beachley (Australia) and Silvana Lima (Brazil), $5,000. 5 (tie), Rosanne Hodge (South Africa), Rebecca Woods (Australia), Carissa Moore (Hawai'i) and Megan Abubo (Hawai'i), $4,500.

2008 ASP WOMEN'S WORLD TOUR

1, Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), 7,188 points. 2, Silvana Lima (Brazil), 5,534. 3, Sofia Mulanovich (Peru), 5,323. 4, Layne Beachley (Australia), 5,210. 5, Amee Donohoe (Australia), 4,051. 6, Samantha Cornish (Australia), 3,972. 7, Melanie Bartels (Hawai'i), 3,876. 8, Rebecca Woods (Australia), 3,602. 9, Jessi Miley-Dyer (Australia), 3,564. 10, Jacqueline Silva (Brazil), 3,398. 11, Megan Abubo (Hawai'i), 2,988.