Estoril Billabong Girls finalists : photo courtesy Puro Feeling

Estoril Billabong Girls

ASP 6 Star Womens WQS event
Guincho, Cascais Portugal
1 - 3 May 2009

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Fitzgibbons Wins Estoril Billabong Girls Pro, Curren is ASP European Champion    > Portugues embaixo

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 May, 2009 : - - Estoril, Bafuriera Beach, Portugal - The day belonged to Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, and the new generation of women's professional surfing. Fitzgibbons, current ASP Women's World Tour member,  surfed every heat of her final assault flawless, methodical and mechanical as she swept the field to win the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Estoril Billabong Girls Pro taking the valuable 3000 ratings' points up for grabs.

Fitzgibbons defeated fellow finalist and other rising wunderkid and ASP Top 17 surfer Coco Ho (Oahu, HAW), 17, with both surfers scoring near perfect rides  as Bufuriera's beachbreak was delivering clean three to four foot (1 to 1.2 meter) waves. Fitzgibbons came out blazing in the final locking-in four excellent scores before Ho managed to answer back with a near perfect 9.80 point wave. Meanwhile, Fitzgibbons was quick to respond and net a 9.85 pointer and take the win.

"It's great to be back on the podium and definitely it has been some time between drinks," Fitzgibbons said. "I surfed a lot of heats before the final and paddled out quite relaxed and sat wide. I saw the tide starting to drain out and thought there were two peaks. I was lucky when the first one came wide and I got it."

Fitzgibbons, who is a rookie on this year's ASP Women's World Tour, leaves Portugal with a solid back-up result in case she ends up needing to requalify through the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) at the end of this year. So far, Fitzgibbons remains well in position to fullfil expectations from the international surfing scene which considers the young woman a future ASP World title contender.

 

Coco Ho, who secured another great result by finishing runner-up in the ASP WQS 6-Star event, had defeated fellow Hawaiian and friend Carissa Moore (Oahu, HAW) in the Semifinals whilst Fitzgibbons was taking the most out of her encounter with experienced and former ASP Women's World Tour Rookie of the Year Jessi Miley-Dyer (New South Wales, AUS).

"It was great to surf with my friend Sally (Fitzgibbons) in the final," Ho said. "We had really fun waves, we were talking and having a good time. Sally started with three great waves and it took me a while to get a good one. Then I got my 9.80 pointer but Sally came straight back and bettered it with a 9.85 wave."

The Estoril Billabong Girls Pro was not only the stage of an international gahering but alos crowned this year's ASP Women's European Champion, the best European performer taking the prestigious crown for 2009. It was Lee-Ann Curren (Anglet, FRA) who ended with the highest result in the ASP WQS 6-Star event, taking her second regional crown after a year break to succeed to Justine Dupont (Lacanau, FRA).

Curren, 19, who has targeted a qualification for next year's ASP Women's World Tour for her main goal this season, placed equal 13th at Estoril and was not able to go any further than Round 3, still enough to grab the European title.

"It feels great to be the ASP Women's European Champion again after a year hiatus," Curren said. "I had the crown two years ago and lost it last year to Justine Dupont so it is a good confidence boost as I am starting to focus on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) and trying to qualify for the ASP Women's World Tour".

Check out all photos, news and results at www.aspeurope.com  

Final
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 18.60 pts Def. Coco Ho (HAW) 16.90 pts

Semifinals
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 18.0 pts Def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.00 pts 
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons 16.50 pts (AUS) Def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 10.20 pts

Quarterfinals
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.75 def Nikita Robb (ZAF) 5.25
Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.70 def Jaqueline Silva (BRA) 10.65
Heat 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.75 def Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 9.75
Heat 4: Jessi Miley-Dyer 12.90 (AUS) def Rebecca Woods (AUS) 12.30

Check the Full Results

Womens WQS Ratings after the Estoril Billabong Girls

1	Moore,Carissa	HAW	4620
1	Ho,Coco	HAW	4620
3	Bevilacqua,Claire	AUS	4400
4	Pellizzari,Ornella	ARG	4030
5	Miley-Dyer,Jessi	AUS	3660
6	Hareb,Paige	NZL	3600
7	Curren,Lee Ann	FRA	3560
8	Erickson,Sage	USA	3470
9	Sanchez,Amandine	FRA	3460
10	Robb,Nikita	ZAF	3370
11	Donohoe,Amee	AUS	3290
12	Mason,Airini	NZL	3265
13	Woods,Rebecca	AUS	3225
14	Hodge,Rosanne	ZAF	3220
15	Goncalves,Claudia	BRA	3030
16	Fitzgibbons,Sally	AUS	3000
17	Silva,Jacqueline	BRA	2920
18	Blanchard,Alana	HAW	2860
19	Schmitz,Bruna	BRA	2700
20	Grimwood,Jessica	AUS	2690
21	Paul,Wini	NZL	2680
22	Mulanovich,Sofia	PER	2665
23	Penfold,Dara	AUS	2650
24	Hashimoto,Sayuri	JPN	2645
25	Santos,Francisca	PRT	2640
26	Dobson,Jess	AUS	2600
26	Hamilton,Bethany	HAW	2600
28	Redman-Carr,Melanie	AUS	2500
28	Ado,Pauline	FRA	2500
30	Atherton,Nicola	AUS	2480
30	Naraisa,Suelen	BRA	2480
32	Beardmore,Sarah	GBR	2450
32	Hagiwara,Mizuki	JPN	2450
34	Vail,Crystal	AUS	2400
35	Chudleigh,Tarryn	ZAF	2380
36	Abubo,Megan	HAW	2355
37	Boelsterli,Demi	USA	2340
38	Keighran,Angela	AUS	2300
39	Werneck,Marina	BRA	2100
40	Sarran,Caroline	FRA	2080
41	Rocha,Joana	PRT	2045
42	Hickson,Jessica	AUS	1980
43	Ashley,Anastasia	USA	1810
44	Petroni,Karina	USA	1680
45	Dupont,Justine	FRA	1560
46	Le Tallec,Anne-Cecile	FRA	1520
47	Macaulay,Laura	AUS	1500
48	Smith,Ashley	AUS	1465
49	Buitendag,Bianca	ZAF	1440
49	Vonderlieth,Lexi	USA	1440
51	Stoyle,Dimity	AUS	1430

Check the Full Ratings

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Portuguese

Sally Fitzgibbons vence o Estoril Billabong Girls

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 May, 2009 : - - Estoril, Bafuriera Beach, Portugal - A australiana Sally Fitzgibbons venceu hoje, com 18,60 pontos em 20 possíveis, o Estoril Billabong Girls, uma etapa do Campeonato do Mundo de Surf Feminino de 6*, marcando com chave de ouro o encerramento da competição e, em simultâneo, do Estoril Surf Festival.

O segundo lugar deste campeonato, disputado ao longo de três dias, entre Carcavelos e o Guincho, coube à havaiana Coco Ho (com 16,90 pontos) e o terceiro lugar, ex-aequo, a Carissa Moore (havaiana) e a Jessi Miley-Dyer (australiana).

Esta é a terceira vez que a jovem Sally Fitzgibbons, de apenas 18 anos, vence uma prova de surf em Portugal. Ao longo da mesma, evidenciou uma performance de altíssimo nível, protagonizando uma das finais mais competitivas de sempre do surf feminino, realizada na praia da Bafureira, em S. Pedro do Estoril.

Tirando partido das condições climatéricas perfeitas para a prática desta modalidade, milhares de curiosos encheram a praia, aplaudindo as atletas, que proporcionaram um grande espectáculo em ondas muito bem formadas, de 1,5 a 2 metros.

As condições naturais da Costa do Estoril para a prática desta modalidade superaram todas as expectativas, tendo o CEO (chief executive office) da ASP International (Association of Surfing Professionals), Brodie Carr, afirmado este foi “o destino que apresentou as melhoras ondas que um campeonato feminino registou nos últimos anos”.

O Estoril Billabong Girls encerra o Estoril Surf Festival, um evento que teve início no dia 17 de Abril, e que incluiu o Estoril Quiksilver Pro Junior de 2* e o Estoril Quiksilver WQS 6*.

Declarações:

Miguel Ruivo (Director de Prova): “A prova não podia ter corrido melhor. O Estoril tem um grande potencial para realizar eventos de surf de elevadíssima qualidade. Possui vários locais com fundos de rocha (point breaks), em que as ondas têm, invariavelmente, boa formação, o que leva a que os eventos efectuados nesta Costa sejam sempre talhados para o sucesso.

Estiveram em prova 13 das 18 melhores surfistas do mundo e estou convencido de que, para o ano, as cinco que infelizmente não puderam estar presentes, virão com certeza. As atletas portuguesas Joana Rocha e Francisca Pereira dos Santos correm o circuito mundial, e a Ana Sarmento beneficiou de um wild card (convite de um dos patrocinadores). A Ana Sarmento e a Joana Rocha não tiveram sorte nas suas baterias, mas a Francisca surpreendeu ao bater a vice-campeã do mundo, a brasileira Silvana Lima. Esta eliminatória teve lugar na praia do Guincho, com ondas de dois metros de altura”.

Sally Fitzgibbons (atleta australiana, vencedora): “Adoro Portugal, dá-me sorte. Ganhei das três vezes em que competi no país. Foi um privilégio entrar hoje numa final com uma das minhas melhores amigas, a Coco Ho, e conseguir pontuações tão altas em ondas tão perfeitas. Senti-me emocionada e, ao mesmo tempo, bem recebida pelas pessoas que estavam na praia. Adorava ver um campeonato do World Tour aqui. Ganho de certeza!”

O Estoril Billabong Girls é uma organização RockSisters com o patrocínio de Turismo do Estoril, Camâra Municipal de Cascais, Billabong, Mega FM, Kia Motors, Ericeira Surf Shop, VonZipper, Kustom, Dakine, NSP, Jardins Sintra, Análise Global, Girlz Magazine, Gente Jovem,

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Previous reports:
# 1 : Portugal’s Estoril Billabong Girls Festival ready for action
# 2 : World's best to surf in 6-Star Estoril Billabong Girls WQS
# 3 : Estoril Billabong Girls first womens 6-Star WQS of 2009
# 4 : Estoril Billabong Girls gets lay day: Saturday looks good  
# 5 : Top seeds dominate Day 1 of Estoril Billabong Girls Pro 
 
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www.surftotal.com
www.aspeurope.com
www.rock-sisters.com 

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