BREAKING NEWS: UNCW grad sweeps Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am

Mike Powell, a 2010 graduate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, earned the winning title against some of the world's top professional surfers at Sunday's close of the 6th annual Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am Surf Fest.

Fresh off his June win of the College Men's Division at the National Scholastic Surfing Association championships, Powell defeated Ben Bourgeois, a Wrightsville Beach native who, before enrolling into a phase of semi-retirement, ranked among the world's best professionally competing surfers.

Sunday marked the final chapter in three days of competition, that played host to what this surf fest's co-founder, Tony Butler, said were luckily some of the first contestable waves of the season.

Male and female surfers from Florida to Hawaii and Australia took part, in what many participants and officials here have measured as the largest such surfing event on the East Coast.

Bourgeois, an industry celebrity who was featured on this month’s cover of Surfing Magazine, placed second in the pro division, trailing on Powell’s heels after an aggressive 30-minute final heat late Sunday afternoon.

Powell, awarded a $5,000 check, said in an interview after his victory was announced that, even though he just landed a job with Northwestern Mutual, he wasn't going to abandon competitive surfing.

Whether he felt hometown pressure during the final heat, Powell said, "For some reason I didn't get nervous at all. I had a lot of support."

Bourgeois said he was glad to compete at home, and he congratulated Powell on his win.

"I don't really compete that much," he said. "I don't have too much of a competitive drive anymore."

Also landing a spot in the final pro heat was Heath Walker, of Australia, and Dylan Goodale, of Hawaii. They placed third and fourth, respectively.

As Reef's global athlete manager, Walker said he has traveled the world extensively during his career. Asked about the talent showcased at this weekend's event, Walker said it's great, and it's getting better.

"It does wonders when they got an inspiring guy like ‘Bennie’ Bourgeois to look up to," he said. "He's traveled around the world and his surfing speaks for itself. And it shows in the level of surfing here.

"You can be in a town where they don't have a guy of that caliber, and the level of surfing and the atmosphere isn't as strong," he added.

The final results:

Professional Division

First Place: Michael Powell of Wilmington; $5,000 Purse

Second Place: Ben Bourgeois of Wilmington; $3,000 Purse

Third Place: Heath Walker of Australia; $2,000 Purse

Fourth Place: Dylan Goodale of Hawaii; $1,500

Women's Open Long board

First Place: Kate Easton of Virginia Beach

Second Place: Kayleigh Winslow of Wrightsville Beach

Third Place: Leldon McCleary of South Carolina

Fourth Place: Carleigh Sion of South Carolina

Women's Open Short board

First Place: Emily Ruppert of Florida

Second Place: Haley Watson of Florida

Third Place: Julia Barrett

Fourth Place: Jo Pickett of Wilmington

Men's Open Long board

First Place: Tony Silvagni of Kure Beach

Second Place: Bradley Rose of Carolina Beach

Third Place: Steve Mangiacarre of Wilmington

Fourth Place: Weston Williams of Wilmington

Guys 14 and Under

First Place: Cam Richards of South Carolina

Second Place: Noah Sweizer of Florida

Third Place: Luke Marks of Florida

Fourth Place: Luke Gordon of South Carolina

Guys 15 and Over

First Place: Cam Richards of South Carolina

Second Place: Hunter Heaverly of Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Third Place: Shane Burns of Wilmington, North Carolina

Fourth Place: Keto Burns of New York