Thanks to a perfect 10, Albee Layer received a perfect graduation gift yesterday.

Layer received $2,000 for winning the Quiksilver Junior Pro surfing contest yesterday. The one-day contest was run in quality 3- to 5-foot waves at Kewalo Basin.

Most of the state's top surfers age 21 and younger competed. Layer, a recent graduate of King Kekaulike High on Maui, received a perfect score of 10 for a long barrel ride in the 30-minute final.

"I just graduated last week, so winning some money is perfect in this economy," said Layer, 17.

Layer defeated Kaua'i's Kaimana Jaquias in a back-and-forth, one-on-one battle in the final.

"I didn't really have a strategy," Layer said. "I just hoped I got good waves because Kaimana rips super hard."

Because the contest used a one-on-one format, each surfer had ample opportunities to catch waves.

"You have all sorts of time to select and really catch the best waves you can, and do your best surfing, really," Layer said.

Layer took the early lead with a 7.0, but Jaquias responded with an 8.25 after completing a series of precise turns on a fast-breaking wave.

Midway through the heat, Jaquias increased his lead with a score of 8.15.

"It was kind of slow in the beginning, and I honestly thought I had it," said Jaquias, who is 16 and just completed his sophomore year at Elite Element Academy. "Then Albee got that perfect wave and I knew it was over."

Layer said of his barrel ride: "It was just like a perfect wave, came out of nowhere, really. I was in the right place at the right time and luckily didn't fall."

Layer's barrel ride came with about three minutes remaining, and gave him a two-wave total of 17.0 to Jaquias' 16.4. Jaquias said he watched in frustration as Layer made it successfully out of the barrel.

"I was looking at him the whole time, so I knew he was getting a big score," Jaquias said. "It was fun surfing against him, man-on-man, in these conditions. But when you come out the loser, it's not that happy."

Jaquias, who received $900, is the son of professional surfer Kaipo Jaquias.

Layer said his confidence was boosted after an upset victory over fellow Maui surfer Granger Larsen in the semifinals.

"I was kind of freaked out before it, but luckily I got a good wave in the beginning and calmed down a little bit," Layer said.

What's more, Layer was fighting jet lag. He competed in another junior pro contest in California on Sunday, and made it back to O'ahu late Sunday night.

The contest was sanctioned by ASP Hawai'i. The top junior surfers from the ASP Hawai'i ratings at the end of the year will qualify for the ASP World Junior Championship.

FINAL RESULTS

1, Albee Layer, $2,000. 2, Kaimana Jaquias, $900. 3 (tie), Billy Kemper and Granger Larsen, $550. 5 (tie), Kaito Kino, Matt Meola, Kekoa Cazimero and Tanner Hendrickson, $250.