Chelsea Georgeson warms up at Snapper Rocks : photo ASP/Tostee

Roxy Pro
presented by Samsung

ASP WCT Womens Event #1/2006
Gold Coast Queensland, Australia
28 February - 12 March 2006

Live Webcast   |   Scores/Results/Photos/Videos etc 

Clash of the Titans at Roxy Pro presented by Samsung - Georgeson and Gilmore drawn in Round one

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 February, 2006 : - - (Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast): The first event on the 2006 ASP Women's World Championship Tour, the Roxy Pro presented by Samsung is promising to start with a bang, with Australia's own world champion Chelsea Georgeson (Tweed Heads, NSW) drawn against defending event champion Stephanie Gilmore (Kingscliff, NSW) in round one.

The titanic clash between the two Snapper Rocks locals means only one will survive past round three in the season opener. Georgeson is excited by the impending duel but the stylish goofy footer heads into the meet feeling buoyant for more reasons than one, namely her recent marriage to surfboard shaper Jason Hedges, with the pair exchanging vows last weekend.

"There have been some big changes for me, but change is always good," said Georgeson. "I'm just enjoying everything. My life is perfect right now. 'Jase' is always with me, supporting me and that's just the best feeling in the world. I'm so happy. I couldn't ask for anything more. "Having him there on the beach, watching and knowing that he is there, is even better for my confidence when I'm competing."

Both Georgeson and Gilmore excel at performing stylish, high-speed manoeuvres, a must-have quality at Snapper Rocks. Twenty-two year-old Georgeson will enter as the world's top seeded surfer while 18-year-old Gilmore - who has just commenced her World Qualifying Series
(WQS) campaign to try to qualify for the 2007 WCT - has been granted automatic entry as defending Roxy Pro champion.

"Coming up against Steph in the first contest of the year is going to be a really tough start to the season," Georgeson said. "I am going to do everything I can to try and beat her. I am not going to just give it to her and I know she is not going to just give it to me, but it's really going to be fun to surf against Steph at our home break. She is an awesome surfer and I love watching her there everyday."

Local knowledge and style took Gilmore right through from last year's trials to a main event victory, becoming the youngest female to ever win a WCT event at age 17. In front of a home crowd of 10,000 the then Kingscliff High School student defeated Megan Abubo (Haw) to win the
2005 Roxy Pro.

Gilmore has gained valuable competitive experience over the past 12 months and sent out a clear warning with her recent victory in the five-star Roxy Pro WQS event at Phillip Island, Victoria and a third placing in the Costao Pro Floripa, Brazil WQS last week. "I am really excited. I just can't wait for the contest," Gilmore said. "Fingers crossed there are waves as good as last year and we can get a few more barrels, that sounds like fun to me.

"The match-up with Chelsea will be hard but I am looking forward to it, we surf together all the time. Chelsea is my favourite female surfer and the best in the world so it's going to be pretty interesting, but I can't wait. Hopefully we will go wave for wave - get barrelled, stuff like that."
 
Another competitor who cannot be underestimated is 2004 world champion Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) who led for the majority of the 2005 WCT before Georgeson charged home in Hawaii. The pair dominated last year's tour winning seven of the nine WCT events - Georgeson with four victories and Mulanovich three.

Georgeson knows that Mulanovich will be coming back hungrier than ever in the Roxy Pro but says that their rivalry is good for their long-standing friendship.

"My relationship with Sofia is just as good as what it was before - really strong, we are best friends and we have been since we were about
15 years old. I think both of us winning world titles just makes us stronger competitors and closer if anything," Georgeson said. "Sofia is going to be amped this year. First contest of the year - coming off second last year - it's a bit daunting when I think how fired up she will be. She will want it (the world title) back for sure."

The world's top-rated 17 female surfers will all be out to kick-start their competitive year with a bang. Former six-times world champion Layne Beachley (Curl Curl, NSW, Aus) is returning from injury and will be one to watch as will ASP world junior champion and WCT newcomer Jessi Miley-Dyer (Bronte, NSW, Aus).

The women's WCT will be staged in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro presented by Samsung. The Quiksilver Pro Trials will be held on Monday 27th February and the final of the Quiksilver Core Store Surf Challenge will be held on either 28th February or 1st March.

Quiksilver.com and roxy.com will host the live webcast of the entire event, with Quiksilver's expert panel of commentators including former world champion Martin Potter and John Shimooka being joined by the likes of two-time world champion Tom Carroll, Todd Kline, Matt Hoy, Jodie Cooper, Liz Cantor and Danielle Beck. Interviews, replays, special guests and Quiksilver and Roxy's daily "Live at 5" wrap up are all highlights of Quiksilver and Roxy's webcast, regarded as the industry leader.

Co-Sponsor Evian will also award a bonus $5,000 (AUD) to both the male surfer and to the female surfer who rides the longest tube during the respective tournaments, in the "Evian Longest Tube Ride".

With a total of prize pool of US$347,500 on offer, as well as an early ratings lead for the eventual winners, all focus will be on the Gold Coast as the dream tour gets underway.

The Roxy Pro presented by Samsung is proudly supported by Evian, the Gold Coast City Council, Australia's Surfing Life magazine and radio Sea FM 90.9.

Log on to www.roxy.com each day to see the live webcasts, view highlights, read stories and see everything going on behind the scenes.

www.roxy.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Roxy Pro WCT readying to rock the Gold Coast again
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Further Information:
Mandy McKinnon
mandy.mckinnon@bigpond.com

JJ - Quiksilver Australasia
jj@qsilver.com.au

Melissa Buckley - ASP Women's International Media Manager
melissa@aspworldtour.com

Wayne Dart - ASP Int'l Media Manager
Email: darty@aspworldtour.com

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