Aussie Gilmore claims 3rd World Surf Title

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, claimed her third consecutive ASP Women’s World Title last week at the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink in Hawaii.

Gilmore makes history as the only surfer – man or woman – ever to win the prestigious crown each year they competed at the elite ASP World Tour level. In addition to winning her third world crown, Gilmore reached the final of the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach, the second leg of the Vans Triple Crown, and placed third overall in the event. Waves were in the 12 – to 20-foot wave face height range making for an exciting contest.

Hawaii’s Carissa Moore,  17, claimed the Gidget Pro event title with a dynamic and powerful surfing display that was beyond her years and Sunset Beach surfing experience.  Second place went to Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), and Kauai’s Alana Blanchard placed fourth. Blanchard now leads the Vans Triple Crown Series ratings ahead of Gilmore. The Vans Triple Crown champion will receive a $25,000 bonus purse.

When the final day of surfing at the Gidget Pro began, six surfers remained in contention for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Title. Gilmore never faulted and had out-pointed all her challengers by the time she qualified for the final.

Gilmore, who was focused on preparing for the Final at the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach, had remained intentionally aloof to the ASP Women’s World Title possibilities on the final day of competition, and was surprised when informed she had clinched the historic crown.

“I didn’t even know it was happening,” Gilmore said. “I was preparing for the Final and gearing up and then to know I had won, my head was a bit light. To go to Honolua and not have to worry about the title going into the event is just so relaxing.

“I’m starting to feel more comfortable on the Women’s World Tour and go into events differently,” Gilmore said. “You get to know the breaks and it’s still my third year and I love traveling and competing and it’s such a special thing to get paid to do. I’m looking forward to next year and seeing different conditions and different waves on tour, I think there might be a couple of new stops, so yeah, I’m looking forward to having good heats and good waves.”

Gilmore’s 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour Results:

· Win at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast
· Runner-Up at the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach
· Runner-Up at the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic
· Equal 5th Place Finish at the Rip Curl Pro Search
· Runner-Up at the Movistar Peru Classic
· 3rd at the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach
· TBD at the upcoming Billabong Pro Maui

Visit the Press Room on www.aspworldtour.com for more info.

17-year-old Moore wins Gidget Pro women’s surf contest

Teen phenom Carissa Moore’s  ascent through the surfing world went even higher yesterday when she won the Gidget Pro women’s contest at Sunset Beach and took home a $12,000 first-place check .

It was the latest and most impressive victory in what has already been a memorable career for Moore, who is 17 and a senior at Punahou High School in Hawaii.

The contest was part of the ASP Women’s World Tour, so the field featured all of the world’s top-ranked female surfers, including three-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and second place finisher Sally Fitzgibbons both of Australia. Fitzgibbons managed a perfect 10 at Sunset but with all the great rides, even that wasn’t enough to land her atop the podium.

Moore will become eligible for the tour in 2010. She qualified for the Gidget Pro by winning a trials heat held prior to the contest.

Moore started gaining recognition at age 11, when she was already dominating the small-wave amateur competitions. This weekend she proved that she can beat the pros in powerful waves and she was understandably stoked as you’ll see in this Triple Crown report on the comp.

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Gidget Pro final results

1, Carissa Moore (Hawai’i), $12,000.

2, Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), $7,000.

3, Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), $5,100.

4, Alana Blanchard (Hawai’i), $4,900.

5 (tie), Chelsea Hedges (Australia) and Malia Manuel (Hawai’i), $4,600.

7 (tie), Melanie Bartels (Hawai’i) and Coco Ho (Hawai’i), $4,400.

9 (tie), Megan Abubo (Hawai’i), Samantha Cornish (Australia), Silvana Lima (Brazil) and Bruna Schmitz (Brazil), $3,600.

13 (tie), Laurina McGrath (Australia), Jacqueline Silva (Brazil), Paige Hareb (New Zealand) and Bethany Hamilton (Hawai’i), $3,400.

Viva Peru: Sofia Mulanovich wins Movistar Peru Classic

Congratulations Sofia !

Peruvian surfer Sofia Mulanovich has won the Movistar Peru Classic presented by Rip Curl over reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion and two-time defending event winner, Stephanie Gilmore from Australia.

Event No. 5 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Movistar Peru Classic culminated in offshore three-to-four foot  waves at Lobitos today, and delivered all the drama and action fans had been waiting for.

Mulanovich, who suffered a horrific wipeout yesterday, was a standout in the hard-fought Final, muscling through one section after another on her backhand, to post an impressive 15.00 out of a possible 20. While the lead would seesaw back and forth between the Peruvian and the Aussie  it was ultimately Mulanovich who would come away with the win in front of a raucous crowd on the sand.

“It doesn’t even feel real that this is happening right now,” Mulanovich said. “I have wanted to win this event for so long, and have always been disappointed. To do it here, in front of my friends and family and in good waves at Lobitos is a dream come true. Viva Peru!”

The win boosts the former ASP Women’s World Champion (2004) from fourth to third on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour ratings and puts her within striking distance of the crown heading into the business end of the season.

“I haven’t had the best season and I was really waiting for a breakout result,” Mulanovich said. “To finally get it at home is really special. I am just so stoked.”

Gilmore’s Runner-Up finish today marks her third of the season, and while missing out on making it three-in-a-row in Peru, the Australian is still pleased with her performance.

“Definitely been pretty consistent with making Finals,” Gilmore said. “Obviously I was looking for another win. But in a way, it is pretty special to see Sofia (Mulanovich) win, like, it is crazy. There are thousands of people on the beach here in the middle of nowhere, it is just phenomenal. To make another Final felt good. I had a lot of fun. It was good to see Sofia up there and not Silvana (Lima) or Coco (Ho), it is going to make the ratings really interesting and it’s keeping things really tight and close between everyone. It is going to be an exciting finish in Hawaii.”

Gilmore retains a slender lead over challengers as she contests for a third, consecutive ASP Women’s World Title, but retains collected frame of mind heading into Hawaii.

“The world title is in your head sometimes,” Gilmore said. “It is just event by event. This event was a good one as everyone was surfing so good and so after a fifth in Portugal, I wanted to come here and perform really well and I put my mind to it and I did it, the title race is hot.”

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, 2009 ASP Dream Tour rookie, matched her best result of the year with an equal 3rd at the Movistar Peru Classic. Arguably one of the most in-tune performers at Lobitos, Fitzgibbons lost a nail-biter Semifinal to eventual winner Mulanovich.

“I’m definitely happy with my performance,” Fitzgibbons said. “I have felt good this whole event and it came down really close there at the end. I knew that set was on the horizon and I couldn’t hold on in the end. It would be amazing to make it through to a Final. I will take the third place but it is always nice to be there on the podium and in the Final. I will just keep trying and doing what I am doing and hopefully crack it pretty soon.”

Coco Ho (HAW), 18, 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie and winner of the previous event in Portugal, was a major standout at the Movistar Peru Classic. Ho took down fellow Hawaiian rookie Alana Blanchard (HAW), 19, and stylish natural-footer Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), 22, before falling agonizingly close to Gilmore in the Semifinals.

“It’s always hard having a 9 and waiting for your second score but that’s what surfing with the Champ is all about,” Ho said. “It was frustrating seeing the waves I needed coming in after the heat, but that’s okay. Competing against Steph definitely pushes my surfing and I’m happy with an Equal 3rd.”

Despite missing out on a Final’s berth in Peru, Ho is looking forward to finishing the year at home in Hawaii and the finale of the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour Rookie of the Year race.

“I’m definitely looking forward to heading home and finishing the season in Hawaii,” Ho said. “Rookie of the Year and a Top 5 finish has always been my goal, but Sally (Fitzgibbons) is right there and it will come down to the wire.”The next stop on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour is the Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach, Hawaii from November 24 through December 6, 2009.

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 15.00
2 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.74

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.60 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 15.17
SF 2: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 16.27 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.20

MOVISTAR PERU CLASSIC QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 14.74 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 10.16
QF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.27 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 6.60
QF 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.16 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 6.83
QF 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 10.67 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 10.17

Check the Full Results

ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR TOP 5 (After Movistar Peru Classic):
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 4765 pts
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA) 4188 pts
3 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 3891 pts
4 – Coco Ho (HAW) 3679 pts
5 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 3043 pts

Check the Full Ratings

Hawaiian Coco Ho wins Women’s Rip Curl Pro Search

ASP World Tour rookie, Coco Ho has beaten Chelsea Hedges to claim the 2009 Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search title.

It was only a matter of time till Hawaiian Coco Ho would win an ASP Women’s World Tour event. Not only does the girl flat out rip, but she’s also got the mental game that great competitive surfers need to possess—she knows what she has to do to win heats and then does them.

In the first ever Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search event, Coco bettered Chelsea Hedges, who is eight years her elder and the 2005 Women’s World Champ. Comboing the veteran to snag the win, Coco showed that she has what it takes to win on the women’s highest stage. Now sitting at 3rd in the World Title ratings, Coco is making a serious run for Rookie of the Year, not to mention being in the thick of a World Title race.

Stephanie Gilmore and Silvana Lima (1,2) sit ahead of Ho in the ratings, and with three events left it’s plausible to see any one of the three march to the podium at the end of the year. After the next event (the Movistar Peru Classic), the Women’s World Tour heads to Hawaii for the final two events. Don’t be surprised to see the young Hawaiian with another trophy in her hand before the year is done.

CURRENT ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR TOP 5
(After RC Pro Women’s Search):
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 3793 points
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA) 3636 points
3 – Coco Ho (HAW) 2923 points
4 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 2691 points
5 – Melanie Bartels (HAW) 2535 points

Shawn Johnson, Stephanie Gilmore win Teen Choice Awards

The Teen Choice Awards won’t air until tomorrow, but we’ve got a list of all the winners. If you don’t mind spoilers, check ‘em all out after the jump.

MOVIES

CHOICE MOVIE: ACTION ADVENTURE
X-Men Origins: Wolverine

CHOICE MOVIE: DRAMA
Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE: ROMANCE
Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE: BROMANTIC COMEDY
Marley & Me

CHOICE MOVIE: COMEDY
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

CHOICE MOVIE: HORROR/THRILLER
Friday the 13th

CHOICE MOVIE: MUSIC/DANCE
High School Musical 3: Senior Year

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: DRAMA
Robert Pattinson, Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: DRAMA
Kristen Stewart, Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: ACTION ADVENTURE
Hugh Jackman, X-Men Origins: Wolverine”

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: ACTION ADVENTURE
Jordana Brewster, Fast & Furious

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: COMEDY
Zac Efron, 17 Again

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: COMEDY
Anne Hathaway, Bride Wars

CHOICE MOVIE ACTRESS: MUSIC/DANCE
Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie

CHOICE MOVIE ACTOR: MUSIC/DANCE
Zac Efron, High School Musical 3: Senior Year

CHOICE MOVIE: VILLIAN
Cam Gigandet, Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE: FRESH FACE FEMALE
Ashley Greene, Twilight

CHOICE MOVIE: FRESH FACE MALE
Taylor Lautner, Twilight

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE: DRAMA
My Sister’s Keeper

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE: COMEDY
Up

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE: ROMANCE
The Proposal

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE: ACTION ADVENTURE
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE STAR: MALE
Shia LaBeouf, Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

CHOICE SUMMER MOVIE STAR: FEMALE
Megan Fox, Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

CHOICE MOVIE HISSY FIT
Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie

TELEVISION

CHOICE TV SHOW: DRAMA
Gossip Girl

CHOICE TV SHOW: ACTION ADVENTURE
Heroes

CHOICE TV SHOW: COMEDY
Hannah Montana

CHOICE TV: ANIMATED SHOW
SpongeBob SquarePants

CHOICE TV: REALITY
The Hills

CHOICE TV: REALITY MUSIC COMPETITION
American Idol

CHOICE TV ACTOR: DRAMA
Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: DRAMA
Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl

CHOICE TV ACTOR: ACTION ADVENTURE
Tom Welling, Smallville

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: ACTION ADVENTURE
Hayden Panettiere, Heroes

CHOICE TV ACTOR: COMEDY
Jonas Brothers, JONAS

CHOICE TV ACTRESS: COMEDY
Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana

CHOICE TV: PERSONALITY
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol / E! News

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT SHOW
JONAS

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT STAR FEMALE
Demi Lovato, Sonny With a Chance

CHOICE TV: BREAKOUT STAR MALE
Frankie Jonas, JONAS

CHOICE TV: MALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Adam Lambert, American Idol

CHOICE TV: FEMALE REALITY/VARIETY STAR
Lauren Conrad, The Hills

CHOICE TV: VILLAIN
Ed Westwick, Gossip Girl

CHOICE FAB-U-LOUS!
Miss Jay, America’s Next Top Model

CHOICE TV: SIDEKICK
Emily Osment, Hannah Montana

CHOICE TV: LATE NIGHT SHOW
Chelsea Lately

CHOICE TV: PARENTAL UNIT
Billy Ray Cyrus, Hannah Montana

MUSIC

CHOICE MUSIC: SINGLE
Miley Cyrus, “The Climb”

CHOICE HOOKUP
Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donis, “Just Dance”

CHOICE MUSIC: MALE ARTIST
Jason Mraz

CHOICE MUSIC: FEMALE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

CHOICE MUSIC: R&B ARTIST
Beyonce

CHOICE MUSIC: BREAKOUT GROUP
Paramore

CHOICE MUSIC: BREAKOUT ARTIST

CHOICE MUSIC: LOVE SONG
David Archuleta, “Crush”

CHOICE MUSIC: R&B TRACK
Beyonce, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”

CHOICE MUSIC: RAP/HIP HOP TRACK
The Black Eyed Peas, “Boom Boom Pow”

CHOICE MUSIC: ROCK TRACK
Paramore, “Decore”

CHOICE MUSIC: ALBUM (MALE ARTIST)
Jason Mraz, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

CHOICE MUSIC: ALBUM (FEMALE ARTIST)
Taylor Swift, Fearless

CHOICE MUSIC: ALBUM (GROUP)
Jonas Brothers, Lines, Vines and Trying Times

CHOICE MUSIC: SOUNDTRACK
Twilight

CHOICE MUSIC: TOUR
Demi Lovato / David Archuleta

SPORTS

CHOICE MALE ATHLETE
David Beckham

CHOICE FEMALE ATHLETE
Shawn Johnson

CHOICE ACTION SPORTS MALE
Ryan Sheckler

CHOICE ACTION SPORTS FEMALE
Stephanie Gilmore

OTHER

ULTIMATE CHOICE AWARD
Britney Spears

CHOICE MALE HOTTIE
Robert Pattinson

CHOICE FEMALE HOTTIE
Megan Fox

CHOICE RED CARPET ICON FEMALE
Selena Gomez

CHOICE RED CARPET FASHION ICON MALE
Jonas Brothers

CHOICE WEB STAR
Fred

CHOICE COMEDIAN
George Lopez

CHOICE CELEBRITY ACTIVIST
Hayden Panettiere

CHOICE CELEBRITY PET
Bo Obama

CHOICE VIDEO GAME
Rock Band 2

CHOICE CELEBRITY BABY
Honor Marie Warren

Silvana Lima claims maiden ASP Dream Tour Victory at Rip Curl Women’s Pro

BELLS BEACH, Victoria (Sunday, April 12, 2009) – Brazil’s Silvana Lima, 24, claimed her maiden ASP Women’s World Tour victory today, defeating reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion and two-time defending event winner Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, to take the Rip Curl Women’s Pro presented by Ford New Fiesta and become the first Brazilian in history ever to win at the iconic venue.

Event No. 2 of 8 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Women’s Pro culminated today with an action-packed Final that saw both athletes pushing the levels of high-performance surfing. Despite both surfers racking up high scores, it was Lima who would rise to the occasion and ring the bell for her inaugural win.

“This feels amazing,” Lima said. “This is the first World Tour event I’ve ever won and to win it at Bells Beach is like a dream. To be the first winner from Brazil to ring the Bell, it’s amazing. I am so happy. I hope everyone in Brazil stays up and parties big.”

The high-flying Brazilian wasted no time in racking up scores against Gilmore, opening with a 9.17 before backing it up with an 8.17 in the opening minutes of the Final to put her opponent on the ropes.

“Steph (Gilmore) is so good out there in any conditions and I knew I needed to get scores on top of her quickly,” Lima said. “I was able to get really strong waves at the start and my boards felt like they were working really well.”

The win rockets Lima into No. 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour ratings, once again cementing her position as a legitimate ASP Women’s World Title threat.

“The World Title is always my goal, every year,” Lima said. “Last year was a really good year for me, but I couldn’t win an event. Now that I have a win, my confidence is very high and I look forward to the next event.”

Gilmore was the form surfer of the morning, eliminating Paige Hareb (NZL), 18, in a close Quarterfinal before racking up the highest single-wave score of the event (a 9.60 out of a possible 10) in her Semifinal bout, but was unable to find a rhythm against her South American opponent in the Final.

“Silvana (Lima) finally got me and she was ripping,” Gilmore said. “Her win was well-deserved and I hope it creates a great rivalry for the year ahead.”

Despite her runner-up finish, Gilmore has further established her stranglehold on the ASP Women’s World Tour ratings lead heading into the mid-year break.

“Of course I’m disappointed not to come away with the win but runner-up is still a solid result for me,” Gilmore said. “Bells is one of those places that makes you hungry to come out on top and it would have been amazing to get three in a row. Congratulations to Silvana though and I’ll look ahead to the rest of the year.”

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, 2009 ASP Dream Tour rookie and last year’s ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) No. 1, put is a solid performance at the Rip Curl Women’s Pro, ousting veteran Jacqueline Silva (BRA) and former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, from competition before falling to Gilmore in today’s Semifinal.

“I had an okay start but Steph (Gilmore) really came steaming back with some big scores,” Fitzgibbons said. “There were definitely a few waves I would have loved to have been on, but that’s how our sport goes and the ocean wasn’t in my favor this time around. Last year was a good year for me so I am trying to take confidence from that to find a big result as the year progresses.”

Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion, put in another strong performance at Bells Beach, taking down Samantha Cornish (AUS), 28, before falling to eventual winner Lima in the Semifinals.

“It is still a pretty good result and I am happy for that,” Mulanovich said. “I couldn’t do anything out there so it was frustrating. I was a bit nervous and couldn’t really read the waves that well. I was just falling off, getting stuck on my turns and once you do it once, it gets stuck in your head so it is a little bit psychological. I am always stoked to come back here though. I love this wave and I love this place.’

Highlights from the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford New Fiesta available via www.live.ripcurl.com

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Snickers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30am for a possible 8am start.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Silvana Lima (AUS) 17.34
2 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.06

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.60 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.67
SF 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 15.00 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 7.57

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.50 def. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 12.00
QF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 8.43 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 7.50
QF 3: Silvana Lima (BRA) 7.23 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 7.07
QF 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.83 def. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 7.50

(via press release)

Steph Gilmore claims Roxy Pro crown

Hands down the most dominante woman in the world right now, TWO-time world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore is off to the perfect start in 2009, taking out the season opening Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast.

The 21-year-old, affectionately known as Happy, had more than 10,000 people singing her praise as she stormed home to reclaim her Roxy Pro throne.

Four years after winning the event as a teenage wild card the reigning world champion rocked the final in front of the record crowd for a Womens World Tour surfing event.

It is the first time Gilmore, who is a member of the Snapper Rocks Surfriders club, has won her home event since taking the title as a 17-year-old in 2005. The phenomenal natural-footer has been a perennial event favorite at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast but despite her extensive local knowledge, Gilmore had failed to secure a solid result at home since beginning her ASP Dream Tour campaign until this comp.

From Round 1 through the Final the reigning world champ made short work of everybody she faced. In the final  Gilmore against Hawaii’s Melanie Bartels in two- to three-foot waves, and registered the day’s high single-wave score of a 9.57 to open the heat, after a long series of fin releases and power turns.

“It’s a new start for me,” said Steph. “To win on your home turf, in front of all these people, it’s unbelievable.”

Despite the disappointing showing in Final, Bartels’ runner-up finish sees the Hawaiian rocket up the ratings from ASP World No. 7 to No. 2 heading into the rest of the season.

Gilmore now leads the world championship rankings in her quest for third consecutive title.

The next stop on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour is the Rip Curl Women’s Pro presented by Ford New Fiesta at Bells Beach from April 8 – 13, 2009

Roxy Pro surf contest on but women’s tour may be facing wipeout

The stage is set for a stellar finish to the Roxy Pro Gold Coast with quarterfinalists being decided in rising 1-metre waves at Duranbah on the southern end of Australia’s Gold Coast today.

The season-opening ASP women’s world tour tournament returned to the water this morning for the first time in almost a week, with rounds two and three being completed ahead of this afternoon’s quarterfinals.

It will be a battle of the rookies in quarterfinal one, with Kiwi upstart Paige Hareb taking on Brazilian Bruna Schmitz.

This will be followed by the battle of local stars; with reigning and two-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore coming up against former world champion Chelsea Hedges in quarter two.

Hawaii’s Coco Ho will take on Australian Rebecca Woods in quarter three, whilst Hawaiian Melanie Bartels is matched up against Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich in the final quarterfinal.

Just as Gilmore begins a quest to win a third championship in as many years on the ASP Women’s World Tour,  a formidable force looms on the close horizon — for all 17 surfers on the elite tour. It’s the ravaged economy, which threatens to wipeout a large chunk of the tour schedule.

The LA Times’ Pete Thomas writes:

Corporate sponsors, ailing because of sluggish sales and mounting debt, have either pulled out or are contemplating pulling out of some events in order to cut costs.

There are eight contests on the World Tour schedule but at least one — a prestigious event next winter at Sunset Beach on Oahu — has no sponsor and might be dropped. Roxy, which operates under the Quiksilver umbrella, was the title sponsor last year.

Also, Billabong reportedly is considering dropping sponsorship of one of two contests on the women’s schedule: the Billabong Girls Pro Rio.

At least two other contests are in jeopardy this year, so whoever wins the world title might do so on a severely diminished schedule.

Said ASP Women’s World Tour Manager Brooke Farris, in an e-mail:

“The financial crisis is being felt by the ASP and the best women surfers in the world. We are currently actively seeking a sponsor for the ASP Women’s World Tour event at Sunset Beach as well as trying to confirm a number of events on the tour.

Hopefully the ASP will find those partnerships and quickly. The men’s 10-contest World Tour schedule, an ASP spokesman said, is so far intact.

2009 Women’s World Tour surfers announced

December 29, 2008 – The best female surfers in the world are locked in and the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour looks to be one for the record books. Days after the conclusion of the Women’s ASP World Tour season in Maui the roster for next year’s Tour has been finalized. 

While the surfers on tour will include 11 Women’s World Title holders represented over four competitors – Stephanie Gilmore Layne Beachley, Sofia Mulanovich and Chelsea Hedges – there are also five rookies joining the vets — all teenagers.

Sally Fitzgibbons, 18, made history earlier this year by becoming the fastest surfer ever to qualify for the world tour in a season.  She will be joined by Brazil’s Bruna Schmitz, Kiwi Paige Hareb, Hawaiian Alana Blanchard (all 18) and Coco Ho, 17.

Aussies will dominate the tour, with Fitzgibbons and current world champ Stephanie Gilmore leading eight of their compatriots.

Seven-time world champ Layne Beachley remains on the tour, though she previously announced her retirement.  The move allows her to still compete at some events, though she will not participate in all events (there are eight total events).

The new season kicks off on Feb. 28, 2009 with the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.

Here are the 2009 World Tour Surfers:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
3 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
4 – Layne Beachley (AUS)
5 – Amee Donohoe (AUS)
6 – Samantha Cornish (AUS)
7 – Melanie Bartels (HAW)
8 – Rebecca Woods (AUS)
9 – Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
10 – Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
11 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
12 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
13 – Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
14 – Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
15 – Paige Hareb (NZL)

Sea & Ski

December 4, 2008 -From snow covered mountains to tropical beaches girls are ripping everywhere. Here are some links to what’s happening in the surf and snow…

Surfing: “Do women belong in the kitchen or the barrel?” Jessi Miley-Dyer writes in Surfline. It’s a question she asked herself on a recent girly girl surfari in Mirconesia. The Aussie ripper teams up with fierce friends Stephanie Gilmore, Karina Petroni, mom-to-be Chelsea Georges, Nicola Atherton and Leilana Gryde to explore the tropical paradise, get some sick shots and shoot down old-school cliches… (kind of an old link but have been meaning to post it for a while)

Skiing: The Women’s World Cup hits Lake Louise this weekend and defending World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn posted the fastest time in Wednesday’s first training run for the opening women’s downhill race of the season. The downhill races at Lake Louise are scheduled for Friday and Saturday and the season’s first World Cup super-giant slalom is set for Sunday. Last season, Vonn became the first American in 25 years to win the overall World Cup title and the first in more than a decade to win the downhill.

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