It may have taken half the day to finally get started, but Day 1 of the 2017 Pe'ahi Challenge was more than worth the wait. The late arriving swell, that more than made up for what it lacked in height with rugged intensity, kicked in around midday and proceeded to dish up thumping 40-foot plus set waves by the truck load. And a crew of Maui big wave surfers - led by Ian Walsh and Billy Kemper - didn't disappoint hundreds of locals lining the cliff overlooking the wave also known as Jaws. The Maui Boys dominated Round One, with two other Valley Isle natives, Albee Layer and Kai Lenny, joining Walsh and Kemper in the Semifinals. Here's a slice of some of the day's best best action. Photo: Sophie Louca
