Shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton won her first professional surfing competition on March 20.
Hamilton, who rose to fame for her inspiration of the movie Soul Surfer, won the Surf-N-Sea Pipeline Women’s Pro eleven years after a shark attack cost her her left arm. This is her first win in the last ten years, reports the Huffington Post.
“I usually lost so this is great,” Hamilton said after the win. “I wasn’t even expecting it but I always keep my eye out because you never know out here and I kind of tucked in and I made it out and that was a pleasant surprise.”
Pipeline, which is off of the Oahu’s North Shore, is considered to be one of the world’s most difficult surfing areas due to the intense waves.
According to Grind TV, Hamilton was given no extra help at the competition due to her handicap.
Hamilton won a two thousand dollar prize for her win and also took away the Banzai Sushi award for best tube ride.