Kaua'i surfer Malia Manuel made history last year at the Hurley U.S. Open, and she nearly did it again yesterday.

Manuel won the girls division of the Nike 6.0 Pro Junior, and placed second in the women's division of the Hurley U.S. Open at California.

The finals for both events were completed in 6- to 8-foot wave faces at South Huntington Beach Pier.

Manuel nearly became the first surfer to win the junior and open championships in the same year.

Last year, when she was 14, Manuel was the youngest surfer in history to win the U.S. Open women's title.

Now 15 and a junior-to-be at Kapa'a High, she once again made a big splash on a big stage.

Manuel won the junior pro final in dramatic fashion. Her final wave in the final minute of the heat was enough to overtake California's Sage Erickson.

"I'm glad I had the pro junior to fall back on," Manuel said. "Sage almost had it in the bag and some miraculous wave came and I got to pick it up and got a score. I'm just happy to be here today and surf in both finals."

After winning the junior pro final, Manuel had about a 30-minute break before she had to surf against California's Courtney Conlogue in the final of the U.S. Open.

Conlogue took control from the start and wound up defeating Manuel, 17.17-12.67.

"I'm so over the moon even to make it to the final day," Manuel said. "It was great out there. Courtney is an amazing athlete and she was the deserving heat winner."

Conlogue, who is also 15, defeated two Hawai'i surfers yesterday. In the semifinals, Conlogue eliminated Honolulu's Carissa Moore.

The junior pro contest was for surfers age 20 and younger. The U.S. Open featured most of the world's top professional surfers.

Manuel upset two-time defending world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia in the quarterfinals earlier in the week.

The U.S. Open is considered California's most popular surfing contest, and it draws crowds in the tens of thousands.

Manuel received a total of $4,800 for her performances yesterday. She won $2,500 for the junior pro win, and $2,300 for second place in the U.S. Open.

The U.S. Open was part of surfing's World Qualifying Series. Moore, a senior-to-be at Punahou School, is now ranked No. 1 on the 2009 WQS.

At the end of the year, the top surfers from the WQS get called up to the prestigious ASP World Tour.

The men's division of the U.S. Open is scheduled to finish today, along with the boys division of the Nike 6.0 Pro Junior.

Hawai'i surfers Kai Barger and Tonino Benson are in the final of the junior pro. There are no Hawai'i surfers remaining in the men's division of the U.S. Open.