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Waxheads
news update 25 11 07 ROXY PRO HAWAII CALLED OFF FOR THE DAY; BARTELS SET TO DEFEND HER TITLE SUNSET BEACH, Hawaii (Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007) - Declining swell has seen competition for the Roxy Pro Hawaii called off today, the first of a 12-day waiting period shared by the penultimate event on the ASP Women's World Tour and the 6-Star Prime O'neill World Cup of Surfing - the final event on the 2007 men's ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS),. When women's competition does commence at Sunset Beach, the first matter of business will be an eight-woman trials event held to decide the final surfer in the second of three events in the 2007 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Series - the Roxy Pro Hawaii. Though reigning Roxy Pro Hawaii champion Melanie Bartels (HAW) is an ASP Women's World Tour rated surfer this year, the local surfer won her first ASP Women's World Tour event at Sunset Beach as a wildcard in 2006. Bartels, who had previously surfed on the elite tour in 2004 and 2005 but failed to requalify in 2006, had to surf her way into the main event through the Roxy Pro Hawaii trials before claiming her first World Tour win.
"Winning Sunset last year meant the world to me," Bartels said. "Being from Hawaii and having worked my way from the bottom to the top in that event made me feel really proud and I can't wait to do the same in these next two events." Bartels is currently rated equal 11th on the ASP Women's World Tour, but has assured herself a spot on the 2008 tour courtesy of her 2007 WQS rating. "I feel pretty relaxed at the moment and also super anxious and fired up to surf Sunset," Bartels said. "I love the fact that the last two events on the tour are held in Hawaii. I'm totally ready for Sunset and Honolua." Bartels is one of four, and potentially five, Hawaiians who could be donning contest vests at the testing venue of Sunset Beach. Five of the eight trialists hoping to earn main event berths, and ultimately follow in Bartels' footsteps, hail from Hawaii. The Roxy Pro trialists are Carissa Moore (HAW), Alisha Gonsalves (HAW), Bethany Hamilton (HAW), Coco Ho (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW), Francisca Pereira dos Santos (PRT), Lee Ann Curren (FRA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow morning, Monday, Nov. 26th. Visit www.aspworldtour.com and www.triplcecrownofsurfing.com for more information.
Round
1 Roxy Pro Hawaii Heat Match-Ups: *The ASP Women's World Title clinching scenario for the Roxy Pro Hawaii is as follows: Mathematically, World No. 2 Silvana Lima (BRA), former ASP Women's World Champions Layne Beachley (AUS), Chelsea Hedges (AUS) and Sofia Mulanovich (PER), as well as current world No. 6 Samantha Cornish (AUS) are capable of overtaking ratings leader Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) with two wins if Gilmore doesn't post better than a combination of 9th or 17th place results in the last two events of the season. Should Gilmore earn a 5th at Sunset Beach, Hedges, Beachley and Cornish will be out of contention leaving only Lima and Mulanovich in the race. If Mulanovich bows out early with a 17th at Sunset Beach, Gilmore needs a 9th to knock her out of contention. If Mulanovich earns a 9th at Sunset Beach, Gilmore needs a 5th. If Gilmore finishes 4th or better, Mulanovich can't win. Gilmore can clinch the title at the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach if she posts a 3rd place result and Lima finishes 17th or 9th. If Lima finishes 5th or 4th Gilmore must finish 2nd to win the title there. If Lima posts a 3rd place result, Gilmore must win the event or the race will continue to Maui. Esentially,
if Gilmore wins the event and Lima finishes 3rd or lower, the 2007
ASP Women's World Title belongs to Gilmore. |
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