Chelsea Georgeson Hedges : photo ASP/Covered Images

Roxy Pro Gold Coast
presented by Samsung

ASP WCT Womens Event #1
Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast Australia
28 February - 11 March 2007

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

CHELSEA HEDGES HIGH-SCORES IN OPENING ROUNDS OF ROXY PRO GOLD COAST 

(Francaise en dessous, Espanol abajo)

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 February, 2007 : - -  COOLANGATTA, Australia Former World Champion Chelsea Hedges (formerly Georgeson) ushered in the first day of 2007 ASP Women’s World Tour competition with a stellar performance at her home break of Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast of Australia today, Feb. 27, 2007.  

Hedges is one of a handful of local elite-tour surfers who have not yet earned ultimate honors at Snapper Rocks. Her performance today indicates that could change at the 2007 Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Samsung.

"I think that local advantage has proven itself over the last few years,” Hedges said. “Joel (Parkinson), Mick (Fanning) and Dean (Morrison) have all won an event here; Steph (Gilmore) has won here. You can read which wave to take off on and you have extra confidence too.  We'll just see what happens."

The 2005 ASP Women’s World Champion high-scored in Round 1 of the Roxy Pro, posting the day’s highest heat total, an 18.40 out 20.00, after earning a near-perfect 9.57 (out of 10.00) in the dying seconds of her heat. 

Carissa Moore : photo ASP/Covered Images

"My last wave was a bit of a wide one and I just barely got onto it,” Hedges said. “It had a nice open face and I did one hit off the top and then it walled up again and again. I got off a little floater on the inside and then it walled up again. I don't really remember my whole wave, but I remember it was fun!"

Stephanie Gilmore, also a Snapper Rocks local and the 2005 Roxy Pro winner, competed in her first event as an official ASP Women’s World Tour competitor today. Gilmore has surfed numerous elite-tour events as a wildcard and has won two.

"I feel a bit experienced,” Gilmore said. “I feel like I have some tour-time up my sleeve so I guess that's an important thing if I want to do well in an event.  Hopefully, I will end up in the final and it will be a really good start to the year. “Gilmore’s maiden performance slotted her just behind Hedges statistically with a 17.40 heat total.

“Chelsea's really hungry. I can see it in her surfing,” Gilmore said. “She's my favorite female surfer and she always improving. Chelsea is my pick for this event, if it's not Layne [Beachley] or Carissa [Moore]."

Stephanie Gilmore : photo ASP/Covered Images

Carissa Moore (HAW), the 14-year-old who won the Roxy Pro Trials to earn the main-event wildcard, managed to win her Round 1 heat over reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS), who finished second, and Jacqueline Silva (BRA) who came third and was relegated to Round 2.

“I think Snapper is the perfect wave and it’s my dream come true just to be here,” Moore said. “It’s not that big of a deal that I won, I just had fun surfing against Layne. I was very honored so I’m just stoked.” Beachley was not as ‘stoked,’ but did avoid Round 2 and will meet Moore again in Round 3.

“It wasn’t really a great way to start the year,” Beachley said.  “I don’t know whether I’m too relaxed or just exhausted, but either way, I’m not putting on a good show and I need to step it up to keep up with these teenagers.” Beachley has indicated that it is rising talent such as Moore that has kept her on tour again this year while she searches for her record eighth world title.

“I can’t take anything away from Carissa Moore,” Beachley said.  “She surfed well, her wave selection was impeccable and her heat strategy for a 14-year-old was just well and truly beyond her years. I’m really proud of her and I’m looking forward to coming up against her again.”

Rookies Roseanne Hodge (ZAF) and Caroline Sarran (FRA) both survived Round 2 elimination today. Elite-tour veteran Rochelle Ballard (HAW) and 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) were not as lucky and are no longer in Roxy Pro crown contention.

The Roxy Pro is being held in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro, a Foster’s ASP World Tour event. Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow morning at 6am.

Round 1 Roxy Pro Gold Coast Results: 1st and 2nd move to Round 3 and 3rd surfs Round 2
Heat 1: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 15.73, Silvana Lima (BRA) 15.16, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 11.24
Heat 2: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 14.17, Megan Abubo (HAW) 10.10, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 10.00
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.00, Layne Beachley (AUS) 12.37, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 10.16
Heat 4: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 13.84, Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 9.80, Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 8.80
Heat 5: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 18.40, Caroline Sarran (FRA) 8.77, Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 8.27
Heat 6: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.40, Rebecca Woods (AUS) 11.86, Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 11.50

Round 2 Roxy Pro Gold Coast Results: 1st moves to Round 3; 2nd is eliminated
Heat 1: Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 13.17, Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 12.70, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 10.06
Heat 2: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 14.50, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 13.13, Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 9.84

Round 3 Roxy Pro Match-Ups
Heat 1: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) vs. Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Heat 2: Rebecca Woods (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 3: Megan Abubo (HAW) vs. Samantha Cornish (AUS)
Heat 4: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
Heat 5: Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Heat 6: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 7: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Heat 8: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Caroline Sarran (FRA)

For a full list of surfer profiles, season schedules, event profiles, news stories and much more, be sure to log on to the new and improved ASP website.

Rebecca Woods : photo ASP/Covered Images

Francaise

Le ROXY PRO GOLD COAST : déjà des surprises...

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 February, 2007 : - -C'est parti ! La première manche du Championnat du Monde de Surf WCT Masculin, le QUIKSILVER PRO et l'épreuve inaugurale du Championnat du Monde de Surf WCT Féminin, le ROXY PRO, ont officiellement débuté en Australie.

Selon la tradition, l'élite mondiale masculine et féminine du shortboard est réunie sur la vague de Snapper Rocks sur la Gold Coast australienne pour débuter la saison 2007. Après le sacre historique de Kelly Slater (USA, Team Quiksilver) pour la 8ème fois de sa carrière fin 2006 et le fulgurant come-back de l'australienne Layne Beachley qui compte désormais 7 titres de Championne du Monde (le record), le World Championships Tour 2007 s'annonce passionnant.

Cette saison, on surveillera particulièrement les performances de Jérémy Florès (France, Team Quiksilver) dont c'est le baptême du feu. Vainqueur du circuit WQS (World Qualifying Series) 2006, antichambre du WCT, le prodige réunionnais est le plus jeune surfer de l'histoire à se qualifier pour le circuit d'élite du surf professionnel masculin (à 18 ans seulement !) et également le seul représentant européen parmi les 45 surfers en lice pour le titre 2007.

Les deux premiers rounds du tableau féminin ont déjà été disputés hier (mardi) à Snapper Rocks. Cette journée a été marquée par la prestation magistrale de l'australienne et Championne du Monde 2005, Chelsea Hegdes Georgeson (Team Roxy) qui réalise le meilleur score de la journée avec un total de 18.40 sur 20 dans le premier round (dont une vague proche de la perfection notée 9.57 points sur 10).

L’autre exploit du jour est signé Carissa Moore. Après avoir remporté les trials du Roxy Pro et ainsi décroché une wildcard pour le « main event », cette jeune hawaiienne de 14 ans, étoile montante du Team Roxy, continue de faire sensation. En effet, elle a brillamment remporté sa première série devant la championne du monde Layne Beachley et la brésilienne Jacqueline Silva. Elle sera à nouveau opposée à l’australienne Beachley au 3ème tour.

Parmi les surprises, on note l'élimination prématurée de la Championne du Monde 2004, Sofia Mulanovich (Pérou, Team Roxy) et de l'hawaiienne Rochelle Ballard. La française Caroline Sarran a échappé au piège de ce premier tour mais elle sera confrontée à la star du jour, Chelsea Hedges Georgeson au 3ème tour.

Les 16 meilleures surfeuses du monde devront patienter jusqu’à demain (jeudi) pour reprendre la compétition puisque l’épreuve a été reportée ce matin.

Carissa Moore ; photo ASP/Covered Images

Espanol

Sofía Mulanovich eliminada en Australia

 Autor: Association of Surfing Professionals
 Traducción: Óscar Tramontana Figallo)
 www.olasperu.com

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 February, 2007 : - - Un mal paso ha dado Sofía Mulanovich en su debut en el Campeonato Mundial WCT de Surf Femenino, que lanzaba sus primeras municiones en Australia. El Roxy Pro Gold Coast, prueba inaugural de la presente temporada corría olas en Snapper Rocks, playa ubicada en la localidad de Coolangatta.

Mulanovich estaba sembrada en la serie uno de la ronda uno conjuntamente con la hawaiana Melanie Bartels y la brasileña Silvana Lima. La primera sumó 15.73, la segunda 15.16 y nuestra reina Sofía 11.24. El resultado indicaba que la peruana debía ir a la ronda 2, el temible repechaje, donde no quedar tercera en su manga le daría luz verde para continuar en carrera.

Sin embargo, el resultado le volvería a jugar una mala pasada a la popular ‘Gringa’. Con 10.06 terminaba tercera atrás de la brasileña Jacqueline Silva (13.17) y Rosanne Hodge de Sudáfrica (12.70). De esta forma, Mulanovich queda fuera del Roxy Pro. La otra surfista que quedó eliminada fue la hawaiana Rochelle Ballard, a manos de Claire Bevilacque y la recién ascendida Amee Donohoe.

La próxima fecha se desarrollará también en Australia, en Bells Beach, Victoria, del 3 al 8 de Abril.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Beachley's return/Gilmores CT debut highlight Roxy Pro
# 2 : Roxy Pro wildcard to draw Beachley --Trialists lining up
# 3 : Roxy Pro Gold Coast to commence at Snapper Rocks...
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.roxy.com
www.quiksilver.com
www.aspworldtour.com

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