Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines

ASP WCT Womens Event
Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii
6 - 20 December 2005

Scores/Results/Photos/Videos etc

Billabong Pro Maui Fast Facts

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 November, 2005 : - - MAUI, Hawaii., – The Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines is the 9th and final event on the 2005 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) and will crown the 2005 ASP world champion.  The WCT is the elite level of competition.

World Title:
The race for the 2005 ASP women’s world title is a two way tussle between Australia’s Chelsea Georgeson and reigning world champion Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) and will be decided at the Billabong Pro Maui tournament. Between them they have won 6 of the 8 WCT’s staged so far this year, with three wins apiece. But it’s Georgeson who holds the number one ranking with Mulanovich requiring a win or a second to retain her crown, and even with a win there, should Georgeson come second, she’d be forced to relinquish it.  If Mulanovich places second, Georgeson can win with a fifth.

Location:
Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii. The world famous break offers one of the most picturesque line-ups in the world with long right-hander's presenting a number of sections, with large open walls and hollow tubes.
Like the North Shore of Oahu, Honolua breaks best in the winter.  While the surf is smaller than Oahu, it’s also smoother and better formed. Honolua is protected from the trade winds that affect the waves on the North Shore.
The break has become synonymous with the Billabong Pro Maui that showcases the world's top rated women unlike any other event. Honolua Bay is part of the Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District.

Chelsea Georgeson:
The 22 year-old stylish goofy-footer from Australia’s Tweed Heads will compete in Maui as the world’s no.1 ranked surfer who also leads the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings, is defending Billabong Pro Maui champion and defending Triple Crown champion.

Tournament Duration:
The Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines holding period is December 8th to 20th 2005.  Competition can be staged over a minimum of two days within the 13 day waiting period in the best possible conditions.

Prizemoney:
US$65,000 total. 1st place receives US$10,000 and 1,000 WCT points.

Format:
Six three woman non-elimination round one heats, with 1st and 2nd progressing to Rd 3. Third placed surfer in round two is eliminated. Round three onwards feature woman-on-woman elimination heats.

2006 WCT Qualifiers:
The Billabong Pro Maui will decide the top 10 WCT performers who will re-qualify for the 2006 Women's WCT.  They along with the top six World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfers will comprise the world’s top 16 on next year’s elite WCT.

Defending Champion:
Australian Chelsea Georgeson (Gold Coast) won last years Billabong Pro Maui by posting an amazing 9.75 score out of a possible 10 just minutes away from the final siren to claim the final women’s WCT of 2004 . In the nail-biting finish, Georgeson defeated Samantha Cornish (AUS).

Previous Billabong Pro Maui Champions:
2004 Chelsea Georgeson (Aus)
2003 Samantha Cornish (Aus)
2002 Jacqueline Silva (Brz)
2001 Neridah Falconer (Aus)
2000 Neridah Falconer (Aus)
1999 Trudy Todd (Aus)
1998 Melanie Redman-Carr (Aus) WQS event.

Field:
The Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines will feature the world’s top 16 full-time female touring professional surfers, two replacement surfers and the trials wildcard winner.

Replacement Surfer:
1993 World Champion and 2001 event runner-up Pauline Menczer (Byron Bay, Aus) has been granted a replacement berth into the Billabong Pro Maui after the withdrawal of Rebecca Woods (Copacabana, Aus) due to a shoulder injury. The 35 year-old finished her 18 year elite surfing career in Maui last year after failing to re-qualify for the 2005 WCT.   In 2001, she handed the World Title to former six times world champion Layne Beachley (Aus) by finishing second in that years Billabong Pro Maui event. Beachley rewarded Menczer by having her eye-sight restored to 20/20 vision by laser surgery.

Billabong Pro Maui Trials Wildcard
A formidable line-up of five local contenders along with rising Brazilian star Silvana Lima will battle it out in the trials for the lone main event wildcard.
The talented field comprises of:
1.  Moana Wietecha – the Maui surfing champion who finished second behind Rebecca Woods in the 2004 Billabong Pro Maui Trials.
2.  Melissa Proud - Top Maui HASA girl
3.  Lipoa Kahaleuahi - Top Maui NSSA girl 4. Paige Alms - Maui Interscholastic champion.
5. Hi-Tech / Gerry Lopez Surfbash women's champion 6. Silvana Lima (Brazil) The talented Brazilian surfer is looking at a 2006 WCT berth currently ranked at no.6 on the WQS ratings.

Vans Triple Crown of Surfing:
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing showcases the world's top pro female surfers in their own back-to-back WCT events in Hawaii that run concurrently with the men's Series.   The WCT at Haleiwa and the Billabong Pro Maui will collectively determine the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion.  Chelsea Georgeson is leading the ratings following her victory in the previous WCT at Haleiwa.

Contest Director:
Billabong’s Global Contest Director Mike Parsons will once again oversee the WCT surfing action on Maui. The big wave legend from Californian is highly respected amongst the world’s elite having competed as a WCT surfer for a total of 12 years.

Live webcast:
Via www.BillabongPro.com each day of the event featuring various camera angles, highlights and replays, weather and scoring information, direct viewer interaction, celebrity guests, interviews and more.

Supporting Sponsors:
The Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines is supported by Hertz Rental Car, Kapalua Resorts and ASP.

www.billabongpro.com
www.billabonggirls.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Coming soon
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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For more information:

Melissa Buckley 
melissa@aspworldtour.com

Mandy McKinnon Mobile
mandy.mckinnon@bigpond.com

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