Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 April, 2006 : - - Copacabana surfing sensation Rebecca Woods has easily won the Newcastle Womens Pro. In doing so, she has become the first surfer to win the Newcastle women’s event three times. The 21-year-old scored a near perfect 9.5 ride just minutes into the final and remained at the top of the tally-sheet to secure the 2 Star Rated Newcastle Women’s Pro World Qualifying Series event.
Just a few days ago, Woods wasn’t even thinking of entering the event. She was on a surfing trip on the mid-north coast of New South Wales with fellow World Championship Tour surfer Serena Brooke. “The surf kind of dropped off so we just decided to come to the contest on the spur of the moment,” Woods said. “It’s always good to rack up a decent wave early in the heat and that’s something any surfer loves to do,” she added.
It was the first win for Woods since recovering from a severe shoulder injury which ruled her out of competition for the latter part of 2005. “The shoulder is great now and it’s all coming together in time for the next event in Fiji in a few weeks,” said Woods. In a low scoring final, Woods defeated Amee Donohue (MacMasters Beach), Nicola Atherton (Bronte) and Byron Bay’s Laurina McGrath
NewCastle Womens Classic kicks off in small conditons
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 6 April, 2006 : - - WCT competitors Rebecca Woods (Copacabana) and Serena Brooke (Gold Coast) upstaged their male counterparts today with Woods posting the highest total heat score of 17.67 and Brooke posting the mornings highest wave score of 9.33 in their opening heats. The pair had been training on the NSW north coast and entered the Newcastle Women’s Pro following the cancellation of the SPC WCT event in Victoria which was scheduled to run next week.
Two times Newcastle women’s pro champion Woods showed no signs of the shoulder injury that kept her out of competition for the latter part of 2006, making her intentions clear of a win at Newcastle. “It’s great for the young girls to come in and have a go against some of the seeded girls,” said Woods. “This is sort of like my second home so to come out and have a good heat is always a good start. It’s a great event and the sponsors are really backing us now so it’s good.”
“Coming back from injury is always difficult but also mentally for me because I started peaking in CT’s last year and got a few thirds, starting getting on the ball and was really excited,” said Woods. “The next second I couldn’t even lift my arm. To get that taken away from me was really disappointing so it’s just good to come back and start enjoying it again”.
Rebecca Woods : photo Mail/Vodafone Open
Both Woods and Brooke moved comfortably through to the girl’s second round scheduled for tomorrow. Woods will surf against a trio of talented juniors in Mischa Davis (NZ), Jaimee Wheatley (Geraldton) and Amy Stewart (Jan Juc) while Brooke will surf against former world number two and defending event champion Lynette MacKenzie (Maroubra), ASP Australasian Junior Series leader Airini Mason and French surfer Caroline Sarran.
With half of the women’s round two heats staged the opening two quarter finals were decided. The Gold Coasts Sheridan Shields, Sunshine Coaster Rebecca Oakley, Byron Bay’s Laurina McGrath and French surfer Charlotte Caton all through to quarter final one. Quarter final two will see Avoca’s Amee Donohoe up against Byron Bay’s Carly Smith, Wollongong’s Yvonne Byron and Samantha Joy.
The Newcastle Womens Open is the womens event of the Vodafone Surfest presented by Billabong is supported by the NSW Major Events Board, NSW Tourism, NBN Television, NEW FM and The Herald.
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