Alana Blanchard celebrated her birthday by winning the Cholo's Women's Pipeline Pro for the second time.

Blanchard, of Hanalei, Kaua'i, won the shortboard division yesterday two days after turning 17.

"I actually blew out a candle on my birthday, and I hoped I would do well in the Pipeline contest," said Blanchard, who won the inaugural contest in 2005.

University of Hawai'i film student Leah Dawson defended her title in the longboard division, and Hawai'i's Claudia Ferrari won her first crown in the bodyboarding division.

The unique contest allows female competitors a rare opportunity to surf the famous Banzai Pipeline on O'ahu's North Shore.

Conditions were good yesterday with waves ranging from 4 to 6 feet.

"I just think it's good for girls to surf out here, and step it up to the next level," Blanchard said. "It's just fun to surf out there."

Blanchard's two best waves in the 30-minute final received scores of 8.2 and 9.1 for a 17.3 total. She pocketed $2,000 for the victory.

Blanchard said her plan was to "get good waves" and "be aggressive."

"I didn't have a big strategy," she said. "In the final I wanted to catch rights because they were peeling down the beach."

Dawson, 20, placed second with a two-wave score of 10.8.

"Alana's great," Dawson said. "She's probably the biggest up-and-comer there is."

World Championship Tour standout Rochelle Ballard took third and 12-year-old Kallee Krebs finished fourth in the shortboard. Krebs became the youngest finalist at the Pipeline Pro.

Earlier in the day, Dawson took the longboard division and won $500.

"To have waves at Pipeline this time, makes it all the more special," said Dawson, who won last year in 2- to 3-foot waves. "Last year, it felt good to get a win. This year, we really had to battle out there. It was scary at times. To have real Pipeline breaking, and still be able to pull it off, I couldn't be happier."

Hawai'i's Megan Godinez finished second in the longboard division.

The bodyboarding title went to Ferrari, an avid Pipeline surfer.

Ferrari, 40, overcame injuries to her back and neck to win her first Pipeline Pro title and $2,000.

"I surf every day here," said Ferrari, who just purchased a house near the famous surf break. "Lately, I've been surfing really good."

Ferrari said she started practicing yoga a year ago and that activity has been beneficial.

"I wasn't kidding about the yoga," Ferrari said. "I'm becoming stronger and stronger. I'm beginning to hold my injuries. I'm confident."

Puerto Rico's Natasha Sagardia placed second in the bodyboarding division.

FINAL RESULTS

SHORTBOARD SURFING

1, Alana Blanchard (Hawai'i), $2,000. 2, Leah Dawson (Florida), $900. 3, Rochelle Ballard (Hawai'i), $600. 4, Kallee Krebs (Hawai'i), $500.

LONGBOARD SURFING

1, Leah Dawson (Florida), $500. 2, Megan Godinez (Hawai'i), $225. 3, Candice Appleby (Hawai'i), $100. 4, Stacia Ahina (Hawai'i), $75. 5, Mimi Horiuchi (Japan), $50. 6, Kawehi Whitford (Hawai'i), $50.

BODYBOARDING

1, Claudia Ferrari (Hawai'i), $2,000. 2, Natasha Sagardia (Puerto Rico), $900. 3, Aoi Koike (Japan), $600. 4, Daniela Freitas (Brazil), $500.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.