Callinan was outgunned in the season-opening event by reigning world champion Italo Ferreira, after the Brazilian's best two scoring rides tallied 13.0 points, well ahead of the Merewether goofy-footer's collective score of 5.27.

The result avenged Ferreira's loss to Callinan at the corresponding contest two years ago.

Callinan saved his best for last, scoring a 3.40 with his final wave, but Ferreira capped off a dominant display with a 3.00 and a 7.00 on his last two rides.

Ferreira was eliminated in the semi-finals by countryman Gabriel Medina, who in turn lost the tournament decider against Hawaii's two-time world champion, Jon Jon Florence.

Callinan, the world No.9, was bidding to become the first Novocastrian to win at Pipeline since legendary Mark Richards in 1980.

At the time, Richards was in the process of winning his second of four consecutive world titles.

Julian Wilson, who now lives in Newcastle, won at Pipeline in 2014, when he was based in Queensland.

Florence's victory makes him the first Hawaiian surfer to win at Pipeline since the late Andy Irons claimed his fourth Pipeline title 14 years ago.

After two injury-marred years in 2018 and 2019, Florence looked back to his best at his home break as he scored 11.77 out of 20 to pip Medina by a mere 0.67 in a nailbiting final.

"It feels so good to win, especially in that heat, that was a really hard heat," the 28-year-old said.

"I'm stoked to win it against Gabe because I feel like competing with him is why I want to compete.

"Winning the Pipe Masters, it's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. I've grown up watching this event. I've made a couple of finals and just never quite got it so to win out here, I'm super stoked."

Meanwhile, Australia's Tyler Wright claimed a historic victory by taking out the first women's world surfing tour event to be held at Pipeline.

The two-time world champion, who eliminated compatriot Sally Fitzgibbons in the semi-finals, won a tactical battle with local favourite Carissa Moore to make a perfect start to her 2021 championship campaign.

In a low-scoring final, Wright scored a 3.17 in the dying seconds of the final to win the title with a two-wave score of 8.34.

The victory is Wright's first since 2016 after a long battle with injury and illness wrecked her 2018 and 2019 seasons.

It's her second Maui Pro crown, after she defeated Moore in the 2016 final.

Four-time world champion Moore threatened to steal the title when she scored a 5.40 with less than two minutes to go in the heat to snatch the lead before Wright's crucial last wave put her back in front.

A rare mistake by Moore midway through the heat that handed Wright priority was also crucial as the pair contested a remarkable ninth tour final against each other.

Needing a 5.27 to take the lead, Moore was left stranded but pounced late to move in to the front.

That was before Wright found the ride she needed to move back in front and her 12th tour event win was confirmed once she was back on the sand when the final scores dropped.

Organisers made the decision to move the final heats of the Maui Pro to Pipeline after a shark attack near Honolua Bay earlier this month.

As well as the event win, Wright will head in to the second stop of the tour in Oahu, Hawaii on January 19-28 as the world's No.1.