Sally Fitzgibbons wins big in Portugal at 6 star WQS
May 4, 2009 by jane
Filed under Action, Pretty Sporty, Surfing
The day belonged to Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons, 18, and the new generation of women’s professional surfing. Fitzgibbons, current ASP Women’s World Tour member, surfed every heat of her final assault flawless, methodical and mechanical as she swept the field to win the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Estoril Billabong Girls Pro taking the valuable 3000 ratings’ points up for grabs.
Fitzgibbons defeated fellow finalist and other rising wunderkid and ASP Top 17 surfer Coco Ho (Oahu, HAW), 17, with both surfers scoring near perfect rides as Bufuriera’s beachbreak was delivering clean three to four foot waves. Fitzgibbons came out blazing in the final locking-in four excellent scores before Ho managed to answer back with a near perfect 9.80 point wave. Meanwhile, Fitzgibbons was quick to respond and net a 9.85 pointer and take the win.
“It’s great to be back on the podium and definitely it has been some time between drinks,” Fitzgibbons said. “I surfed a lot of heats before the final and paddled out quite relaxed and sat wide. I saw the tide starting to drain out and thought there were two peaks. I was lucky when the first one came wide and I got it.”
Fitzgibbons, who is a rookie on this year’s ASP Women’s World Tour, leaves Portugal with a solid back-up result in case she ends up needing to requalify through the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) at the end of this year. So far, Fitzgibbons remains well in position to fullfil expectations from the international surfing scene which considers the young woman a future ASP World title contender.
“It was great to surf with my friend Sally (Fitzgibbons) in the final,” Ho said. “We had really fun waves, we were talking and having a good time. Sally started with three great waves and it took me a while to get a good one. Then I got my 9.80 pointer but Sally came straight back and bettered it with a 9.85 wave.”
Final
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 18.60 pts Def. Coco Ho (HAW) 16.90 pts
Semifinals
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 18.0 pts Def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.00 pts
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons 16.50 pts (AUS) Def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 10.20 pts
Soccer: US women beat Denmark 2-0 in Algarve opener
March 4, 2009 by jane
Filed under Int'l Soccer, Soccer
The U.S. Women’s National Team got its 2009 Algarve Cup campaign off to a rousing start, defeating Denmark 2-0 in nasty weather conditions as midfielders Angie Wonzuk and Tina DiMartino scored in the first half.
With the wind whipping through the stadium and a drizzling rain falling almost the entire match, the opening 20 minutes were evenly played but then the Americans grew dominant.
The first U.S. score came in the 22nd minute on the USA’s first shot on goal as Woznuk scored her second career goal in just her seventh career cap and second start. She controlled a cross and blasted a sizzling half-volley into the top right corner of the net over the Danish goalkeeper.
The goal energized the U.S. team, which started connecting passes and getting numbers into the attack. Thirteen minutes after the first score, the Americans got another.
The 22 year old DiMartino, making only her second appearance with the team, scored her first international goal by knocking the ball from short range in the 35th minute after Natasha Kai’s header rebounded off the post.
Goalie Hope Solo made a string of tough saves, including two from Johanna Rasmussen in a 10-minute span.
The United States beat Denmark in the invitational tournament’s last two finals and has won the title six times in the past eight years.
Also in Group B, Iceland upset four-time Algarve champion Norway 3-1. Fara Bjor Gunnars scored twice and Edda Gardar added another for the Icelanders, while Kersten Lie scored for Norway.
Two-time world champion Germany went to the top of Group A by beating Finland 2-0 on goals from Naid Berringer and Kerstin Garefrekes. In the group’s other match, two-time Algarve champion China drew 0-0 with Sweden.
The winners of each group will meet in the final March 11.
For players not in Portugal this week the Women’s Professional Soccer preseason got underway as Team Training Camps opened across the country in preparation for the WPS season openers later this month.
Play on…
