|
| |
News
|
|
 |
| GLOBAL NEWS |
| |
 |
|
The Hawaiian Kahu (Pastor) blesses the Billabong Pro Maui on the cliffs of Honolua Bay.
|
Billabong Pro Maui
Women's World Championship Tour (WCT)
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)
Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii
December 8th to 20th 2004.
Aussie Surfing Icon Faces Possible Elimination from World Tour
Thursday, December 9, 2004 (Honolua Bay, Maui): After an unprecedented 18 years in the worlds top ranks, one of Australia's most loved surfing characters Pauline Menczer (Byron Bay, Aus) is facing a career make or break situation at this weeks Billabong Pro Maui. The 1993 world champion must finish higher than Trudy Todd (Gold Coast) or Melanie Redman-Carr (Dunsborough, W.A) in the final World Championship Tour (WCT) event at Honolua Bay to re-qualify for next years tour.
The diminutive 34-year-old known to all on tour as 'Naughty Pails' thanks to her fun loving ways began her competitive career at Bells Beach, Australia in 1986 and has been a force to be reckoned with ever since.
 |
|
Billabong team riders Rebecca Woods (left) and Keala Kennelly (right) sign autographs for their fans at the Billabong surf shop in Lahaina, Maui.
|
The true Aussie battler puts her 28 wins down to the fact that she has had to tour for much of her career without a sponsor, stating; "The life it has given me is amazing. I always try and take a positive out of a negative. I could look at it and say 'poor me I've never had a sponsor,' but I would never have won all the events that I've won because I've had that pressure where I've had to win."
"Even now, I look at the ocean and go 'that's my office out there,' and I've been in the office today! I'm not really worried either way right now, as there are other things that I am keen to do next year- whether I qualify or not. If it doesn't work out I am going to have a blast doing the 'QS (World Qualifying Series), and probably make more money out of it. There are no plans to retire from surfing. I don't have my first walking stick yet!"
"I couldn't tell you one thing that's been a highlight for me - maybe just all my entertainment shows," laughed Menczer as she continued. "I've had a ball, and even today the weather is bad and you can feel everyone getting down so I'm always trying to make jokes and mellow everyone out. My highlight is in entertaining, I love it. I joked to Graham Stapelberg (Billabong VP of Marketing) the other night 'if I don't make it, do you want to hire me as the entertainment on tour?"
 |
|
The rains pours and the wind howls on day 2 of the Billabong Pro waiting period. A clean swell and sunny weather are expected tomorrow.
|
The Billabong Pro Maui will decide the top 10 WCT performers who will re-qualify for the 2005 Women's WCT, with the top six World Qualifying Series (WQS) moving up as well. After the completion of the final 2004 WQS event, the top six WQS finishers are Chelsea Georgeson, WQS champ for the year, followed by WA's charger Melanie Redman-Carr (Aus), Melanie Bartels (Haw), future star Woods, defending Billabong Pro Maui champion Samantha Cornish (Crescent Head, Aus) and Claire Bevilacqua (West Australia). Four of those girls are current WCT surfers though, who may qualify via the WCT ratings, and not need their WQS rating. Of those four, only Chelsea Georgeson is currently qualifying as Top 10 WCT surfer.
The Billabong Pro Maui remains on hold due to inconsistent 4ft waves at the contest site of Honolua Bay. Contest Director Mike Parsons today opted to postpone the start of the final 2004 women's World Championship Tour (WCT), which has a waiting period until December 20th for the best possible waves at the idyllic right hand point break.
The final stop on the women's 2004 WCT will decide the 2004 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion. There is an additional US $10,000 winner-takes-all purse for the woman who performs the best over the two Hawaiian WCT events.
The tournament only requires two days of surfing in which to be finalized.
Mahalao to Hawaiian Airlines - the Official Airline to the Billabong Pro Maui
Upcoming Round One Heats
H1: Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Laurina McGrath (AUS), Pauline Menczer (AUS)
H2: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS), Megan Abubo (HAW), Melanie Bartels (HAW)
H3: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Heather Clark (ZAF), Trials Winner
H4: Layne Beachley (AUS), Samantha Cornish (AUS), Prue Jeffries (AUS)
H5: Rochelle Ballard (HAW), Trudy Todd (AUS), Lynette MacKenzie (AUS)
H6: Tita Tavares (BRA), Keala Kennelly (HAW), Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)
Details of the TV satellite feeds from the Billabong Pro Maui will be advised throughout the event.
|
|
|
