Stephanie Gilmore : photo Steve Robertson

Roxy Womens Surf Festival 2006

ASP Australasia 5 star WQS
Phillip Island, Victoria,
24  - 29 January 2006

Results/Heatdraws

Miley-Dyer eliminates World Champion Chelsea Georgeson / Semi Finalists decided at Roxy Pro WQS

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 January, 2006 : - - Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Chelsea Georgeson (Gold Coast, Qld) made no bones about taking a “relaxed approach” to the high rated 5-star WQS at Phillip Island, Victoria during the Roxy Womens Surf Festival, but the 22-year old number one will think twice next time she hands a wave to a fellow world title holder, recently crowned Pro Junior champion Jessi Miley-Dyer (Bronte, NSW). 

In clean four-foot (1-1.5m) waves at Woolamai Beach today, Miley-Dyer, 19, posted her best wave score against Georgeson during the opening minutes of their quarter-final clash when Georgeson, who was holding priority, passed up a wave. Miley-Dyer wasted no time seizing the opportunity, turning the long walling right-hander into a good scoring ride worth 7.83 out of a possible 10. 

Georgeson quickly switched gears, however, retaliating with a near identical score of her own, reeling Miley-Dyer in with the form that officially took her to the top of the sport in 2005. As time ticked away, Georgeson locked in another good wave with seconds to spare, but it wasn’t enough. The final tally was among the tightest of the event, an ecstatic Miley-Dyer getting the eventual nod over her by less than half a point, 13.83 to 13.40. 

“I was so, so, sooo lucky,” explained Miley-Dyer, who clearly had the wave God, Huey on her side today. “Chelsea missed a wave when she had priority and it ended up being my best wave, then right at the end of the heat I looked at a wave when I had priority and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s not such a good one’ and then Chelsea caught it and nearly beat me. I was watching her, kicking myself, thinking why would you ever, EVER give a wave to Chelsea Georgeson!” 

Georgeson’s elimination and subsequent 5th placing today is her lowest finish in the blue ribbon division of the Festival in four years. It follows her third place in last year’s event and back-to-back victories in 2003 and 2004. As a full-time touring professional, the Festival has become a traditional warm-up for Georgeson as she heads into the Roxy Pro presented by Samsung World Championship Tour event scheduled for her backyard, Snapper Rocks, Qld beginning February 28th. 

Stephanie Gilmore : photo Steve Robertson

“Even though I haven’t allowed myself to feel any pressure this week, I still go into every contest wanting to win,” said Georgeson, a little disappointed. “Jess surfed well today and I didn’t get enough good ones (waves). That’s one of the number one things in competition surfing, you have to choose your waves, and I’ll be taking that little reminder into Snapper.” 

Miley-Dyer’s win sees her drawn against another WCT campaigner, Rebecca Woods (Copacabana, NSW) in tomorrow’s semi-finals. Woods, who missed the final two events of 2005 due to a recurring shoulder injury, ended the hopes of Hawaiian upstart Leilani Gryde this morning. 

Eighteen year-old Gryde’s campaign began in the trials on day one with the goofy-foot putting in a remarkable solo effort; winning through five rounds including a victory over Georgeson in their four-man heat at Surfer’s Point yesterday. Woods put her experience to good use today, however, controlling a wave-starved quarter-final clash against Gryde, advancing ahead of her 13.00 points to 5.90. 

Surfing’s most talked about prospect, teenage giant-killer Stephanie Gilmore (Kingscliff, NSW) has continued her impressive charge, eliminating Japan’s Kaori Mayaguchi 11.00 points to 6.00 to set up semi-final clash number two versus the tournament’s lone remaining international, Heather Clark of South Africa.  

Gilmore, the two-time and reigning ISA world U/18 amateur champion, has her 18th birthday tomorrow and will be hoping to celebrate with a win in the final of the $30,000 tournament. This morning Gilmore matched her own highest individual wave score of the event, a 9.33 which she set with a devastating display yesterday at Surfers Point. 

Clark today disposed of defending event champion and her travelling partner of eight years, good friend Melanie Redman-Carr (Dunsborough, WA). With both surfers tied on identical scores at the end of their clash, Clark got the nod over Redman-Carr when scores were counted-back to the next highest wave. 

“It’s horrible coming up against your travelling buddy in an event, but at least we knew one of us was going to make the semis. After Mel’s result last year in the event and considering she finished third in the world last year, I was so stoked to get through, but it was a bit close for comfort,” said Clark. 

Despite bowing out today, Redman-Carr said she’s not being too hard on herself and is sure of a strong showing at WCT level to ensure her place in the world’s elite: “Just because you do well one year doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to do well the next, so I was just taking it one heat at a time,” she said. 

The finals of the blue ribbon 5-star Roxy Pro WQS division are scheduled for early tomorrow morning with organisers expecting to wrap all divisions in great surf at Woolamai Beach.  

The six day Roxy Womens Surf festival incorporates a total of seven divisions including the 3A rated Girls Pro Junior, the top-rated 6A womens longboard division, amateur under 18, under 16 and under 13 girls divisions plus an over 35 womens category making it the largest Festival of its kind. The Festival is also able to go ‘mobile’ to over 20 world class breaks each day, depending on conditions. 

1993 ASP Womens World Champion Pauline Menczer still holds the lead in the Evian Longest Tube Ride specialty award. Menczer managed to position herself inside a large wave yesterday at Surfers Point and emerge triumphantly to hoots from the gallery watching on shore. Unless the ride is bettered, Menczer will walk away with $500 thanks to Evian.

The Roxy women’s surf Festival is proudly supported by Evian, the Victorian Government “Play it Safe by the Water”, Bass Coast Shire and Phillip Island Nature Park

Previous reports:
# 1 : Roxy Women's Surfing Festival a giant women's event
# 2 : Georgeson heads field of Aussie champs at Roxy Pro
# 3 : Roxy Pro attracts over 200 surfers from 3 generations
# 4 : Airini Mason leads charge at Roxy Pro WQS Phillip Is.., 
# 5 : Georgeson and champions reign supreme at Roxy Pro 
# 6 : World Champions battle royale looms at Phillip Island

www.roxy.com/festival

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For further information please contact:

"JJ" Quiksilver
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