Sally Fitzgibbons : photo Steve Robertson

ASP  Women's 3 Star WWLT Event
ASP  Women's 6 Star WQS Event
ASP  Women's 6 Star Pro Junior Event
Phillip Island Victoria Australia
21 - 28 January 2007

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

SURFING SENSATION SALLY FITZGIBBONS SURFS INTO WQS RATINGS LEAD   > Portugues embaixo

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 26 January, 2008 : - - Phillip Island – ASP World Junior Champion Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa, NSW, AUS) proclaimed her arrival as Australia’s next biggest talent, taking out the 6-Star ASP World Qualifying Series Roxy Surf Festival, at Phillip Island, on Australia Day.

The 17-year-old ‘super-grom’ (young surfer) has not put a foot wrong this year. Winning three out of four events in January alone, Fitzgibbons capped it off with a sensational victory over Bruna Schmitz (BRA), simultaneously shooting to No. 1 on the WQS ratings. “It’s been a great start to 2008,” Fitzgibbons conceded. “I won the World Junior Championships (in Sydney) which was a dream come true and to win a 6-Star WQS really caps it off.”

A top scorer from start to finish, Fitzgibbons appeared to have met her match in fellow 17-year-old Schmitz. The two surfers exchanged near perfect 9-point rides in the excellent 1-5 meter waves, before Fitzgibbons unleashed a sensational 9.75 to sail home with the win.

“Bruna surfed extremely well and I guess when you’re surfing against someone like that, one high score is never going to be enough,” Fitzgibbons explained. “I put my head down because I knew I had to get another one, and I’m just stoked to come through with the win.”

Sally Fitzgibbons : photo Steve Robertson

The result marked a career best for both surfers - Fitzgibbons taking home US$ 4 500 for first place, while Schmitz earned US$ 2 300 and has moved into No. 2 on the WQS ratings. “I am really, really happy to get this far,” Schmitz beamed. “Sally is a very good competitor; she’s really strong and always gets the good waves. I still scored a 9.00 in the Final so it was close.”

The girlfriend of ASP World No. 8 Jeremy Flores (FRA), Schmitz credited her man for her outstanding achievement today. “He teaches me a lot about competition surfing and how to complete better manoeuvres,” Schmitz continued. “He has given me boards and has been a constant support for my professional career.”

World No. 8 Jessi Miley- Dyer (Bronte, NSW, AUS) and shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton (Kauai, HAW) finished equal third. The two surfers conquered by both the ocean and their rivals, when they could not find a wave in the tricky low tide conditions.

Hamilton’s remarkable equal third place finish marks the best of not only her career, but also possibly that of a physically challenged athlete, and has kicked started her full time assault on the WQS in 2008.

Bruna Schmitz : photo Steve Robertson

“I just couldn’t find any waves out there but I’m still stoked to have made the Semi’s,” Hamilton said after she was defeated by Schmitz. “I’ve needed a good result to boost my confidence and it finally happened. Now I’m just going to keep doing my best in all the events and put my heart into it.”

Despite posting the highest individual wave score of her Semifinal match-up against Fitzgibbons, Miley- Dyer simply could not find a back- up ride and was disappointed to have to settle for second place. “I had a pretty bad heat because I waited too long for a wave,” Miley –Dyer admitted. “I guess it’s a good warm up for the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast (ASP Women’s World Tour event) but if anything, it’s a lesson learnt on what not to do in a heat.”

Former ASP World Champion Chelsea Hedges (Coolangatta, QLD, AUS) made a guest appearance at Woolamai Beach, and was amazed at the level of surfing seen in this year’s competition.

“It’s scary to think I’ll be coming up against these girls in the next few years,” Hedges, who has taken a break from elite competition due to her pregnancy, said. “The talent among the juniors is pretty unbelievable and for there to be two 17-year-olds in the Final of a 6-Star WQS, tells you that women’s surfing is about to take off.”

The 6-Star WQS Roxy Surf Festival is one of two 6-Star WQS events in Australia and one of six in the world. A 6-Star WQS is the highest rated event on the World Qualifying Series and holds the most amount of ratings points, which count towards a surfers overall standing at the end of the year.

The Roxy Surf Festival is held in association with the Victoria State Government “Play it Safe by the Water” and proudly supported by ASP Australasia, Surfing Victoria, Bass Coast Shire Council and Phillip Island Nature Park.

Roxy Surf Festival 6-Star WQS Final Result
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 18.75 def Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 15.35

Roxy Surf Festival 6-Star WQS Semifinal Results
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.25 def Jessi Miley- Dyer (AUS) 9.75
Heat 2: Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 9.50 def Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 2.30

Roxy Surf Festival ASP  Women's 3 Star WWLT Event
Smith,Jennifer USA 1
Meador,Cassia USA 2
Williams,Chelsea NSW 3
Wilson,Emma Vic 4

Check the full WQS results
Check the full Longboard results

www.roxy.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

Portugues

ROXY SURF FESTIVAL - 5º Dia – BRUNA É VICE-CAMPEÃ NA AUSTRÁLIA

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 26 January, 2008 : - - Phillip Island – A nova geração dominou a primeira etapa do WQS feminino. A finalíssima aconteceu entre 2 garotas de 17 anos. As ondas subiram neste último dia na praia de Woolamai e chegaram a um metro e meio em excelentes condições no Roxy Surf Festival de Phillip Island, Victoria.

A paranaense Bruna Schmitz garantiu preciosos pontos no WQS ao finalizar o evento na segunda colocação. A sensação australiana Sally Fitzgibbons sagrou-se a grande campeã do Roxy Surf Festival. Na final as 2 jovens surfistas demonstraram alto nível de surf. Sally já estava somando um 9,00 e um 7,75, quando Bruna arrancou uma nota 9,35 dos juízes. A australiana ainda encontrou outra excelente onda de 9,75 e fechou a final com a maior média do campeonato (18,75).

"Bruna surfou muito bem e eu acho que quando se surfa contra alguém como ela, apenas uma nota alta não seria suficiente," explcou Fitzgibbons. "Me concentrei porque sabia que precisava de outra onda forte, e estou muito feliz com a vitória." O resultado é o melhor da carreira de ambas surfistas no WQS. Sally levou o prêmio de U$ 4.500, enquanto Bruna faturou U$ 2.300. As duas encabeçam o ranking WQS 2008.

"Estou muito feliz por chego até aqui," disse Bruna. "Sally é uma excelente competidora, surfa forte e sempre encontra as ondas boas." Bruna creditou sua conquista de hoje ao suporte que vem recebendo do namorado, o francês Top 8 do WCT Jeremy Flores. "Ele tem me dado dicas de competição e como completar manobras mais fortes."

Para chegar a final, Bruna superou a havaiana Bethany Hamilton e Sally venceu a australiana Jessi Miley-Dyer. Na categoria Pro Junior, a paraibana Diana Cristina (Tininha) acabou perdendo na semi-final para Sally Fitzgibbons, que também acabou sendo a campeã da categoria. Bruna finalizou na 5a colocação.

No longboard, domínio americano com a vitória da atual Campeã Mundial Jen Smith (USA) e Kassia Meador (USA) terminando na segunda colcocação.e Chelsea Willians (AUS), que avançaram sem problemas para as semi-finais. Entre no site e confira as fotos, vídeos exclusivos e resultados completos. ROXY SURF FESTIVAL.

Resultados 

Roxy Surf Festival - 6-Star - WQS Final
1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 18.75 venceu Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 15.35

Roxy Surf Festival - 6-Star - WQS Semi-finais
1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.25 venceu Jessi Miley- Dyer (AUS) 9.75
2: Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 9.50 venceu Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 2.30

Check the full WQS results
Check the full Longboard results

www.roxy.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Roxy Surf Festival upgrades longboard event to six star
# 2 : The Roxy Surf Festival kick starts million plus dollar tour
# 3 : The Roxy Surf Festival Phillip Isle underway in great surf

# 4 : Junior surfers dominate Day 3 at the Roxy Surf Festival  
# 5 : Top seeds return to form at Roxy Surf Festival on day 4
# 6 : Bethany Hamilton into a career-hi semi at Roxy Festival

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing's undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the Foster's ASP World Tour, the ASP Women's World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world's best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

www.roxy.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

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