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Wildcard Moana Wietecha (Haw) surfed well in the Billabong Pro Maui Trials but was defeated by Australian Rebecca Woods.
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Billabong Pro Maui
Women's World Championship Tour (WCT)
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)
Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii
December 8th to 20th 2004.
Wildcard Woods Eliminates World Champ Mulanovich
Friday, December 10, 2004 (Honolua Bay, Maui): Billabong Pro Maui wildcard Rebecca Woods (AUS) today created a massive upset by eliminating 2004 world champion Sofia Mulanovich from this year's final women's World Championship Tournament (WCT). Organizers ran all the way through until three quarterfinals were filled, with the US$62,500 event set to conclude tomorrow, conditions pending.
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Defending Billabong Pro Maui champion Samantha Cornish (Aus) was a standout, winning both her heats convincingly today.
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Great 4-6ft (1.3-2m) righthanders remained on offer at Honolua throughout the day. Gusty northeast winds continued, but the overhanging cliff face utilized by ASP judges also protected the waves.
Woods, who qualified for next year's WCT via the World Qualifying Series (WQS) in 2004, began her day by winning the Billabong Pro Maui Trials. The 20-year-old then lost her opening main event round against freshly crowned ASP world champion Sofia Mulanovich and South Africa's Heather Clark, but made amends with a 'losers' round victory to face Mulanovich once more.
Against the Peruvian this afternoon, she opened with a 7.5 score and immediately took control. Despite failing to lock in a strong second ride, her opponent never bettered a 5.25 score and ultimately required another 5.76 to catch up. Nonetheless, with maiden world title already secure, it would take more to dampen the 21-year-old's spirits.
"I hate losing, but now I can't wait to go home and celebrate the world title with all the people who love me," said Mulanovich. "I'm stoked for 'Woodsy' as she was surfing really good and I knew she was going to push me. She kicked my butt (laughs).
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Great 4-6ft (1.3-2m) righthanders were on offer at Honolua Bay for day 3 of the Billabong Pro Maui. The overhanging cliff face protected the waves from the gusty northeast winds.
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"I'm hot blooded and want to win every heat I surf, but in the end I appreciate everything that has happened and am super happy," she continued. "My dream came true this year. There's always going to be good and bad days, so you just have to take the best from each and learn from the rest."
For Woods, the result clearly announces her arrival on the WCT, and furthermore, title chances of her own.
"I'm pretty ecstatic at the moment," began Woods. "I don't think it's really sunk in. I'm just really glad I finally got through the third round of a WCT, as I've competed at Teahupoo (Tahiti) a couple of times and lost. This is a good step in the right direction. I'll be competing on the 'CT next year, so at the moment there is no pressure on me.
"Sofia's such a good surfer and the world champ, so I won't ever take anything away from her," she added. "I'm just really happy with how I surfed today. Honolua Bay is definitely one of my favorite breaks now."
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2005 WCT qualifier Rebecca Woods (Aus) won the Billabong Pro Maui trials to earn a wildcard slot into the main event, where she went on to defeat 2004 world champion Sofia Mulanovich.
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Trudy Todd (AUS) and Megan Abubo (HAW) contested a crucial third round match-up. Both required a good result to ensure their 2005 positions on the WCT, but it was the Australian who picked off a needed 4.85 last wave to advance and now face the giant-killing wildcard in the quarterfinals.
Six-time world champion Layne Beachley made her Billabong Pro Maui intentions obvious with a commanding third round win. Against fellow Australian Lynette MacKenzie, the 32-year-old locked in a brilliant 9.0 and then upped the ante with the day's top single score of 9.5 and the highest overall tally of 18.5-points. Having won the last WCT on Oahu recently, she currently holds advantage for this year's US$10,000 Vans Triple Crown winner take all purse, and few would bet against her after today's performance.
"After surfing only one wave in my first heat and scraping through, I really wanted to make up for it then," explained Beachley. "I was so keen to catch the sets, so I committed to taking off on the biggest ones I could find and the judges rewarded me with nines and 9.5's.
"My goal is always to win the Triple Crown, and do really well in Hawaii," she continued. "I love the place, and big waves. Even though I've won my last four world titles here at Maui, it's the one event that has eluded me my whole career, so it'd be nice to cap the season off with two wins and really substantiate my mark in the sport."
Defending Billabong Pro Maui champion Samantha Cornish (Aus) was another standout, winning both heats today convincingly. She and Beachley are now set to surf a re-match of last year's final in quarterfinal #3.
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Newly crowned 2004 ASP world champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) placed second to South African Heather Clark in her opening round heat of the Billabong Pro Maui. Mulanovich advanced directly to Rd 3.
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2004 World Qualifying Series (WQS) winner Chelsea Georgeson eliminated fellow Australian and 1993 world champion Pauline Menczer (AUS). In what was a crucial heat for Menczer, the 34-year-old surfing icon failed to emerge from a deep barrel that proved costly. The natural footer required an 8.5 to catch Georgeson's commanding lead, but ultimately bowed out of the tournament, as well as the WCT for 2005.
"I blew it on a really nice barrel," acknowledged Menczer. "That's the way the cookie crumbled. I'm happy though, and will be doing the WQS next year. I have some other ideas of what I'd like to do too, so we'll see what happens."
When competition resumes, South Africa's Heather Clark faces Hawaiian Keala Kennelly in the first heat, while current ratings #2 Rochelle Ballard is against fellow Hawaiian Melanie Bartels. Next call is at 7am (local time) tomorrow.
Mahalao to Hawaiian Airlines - the Official Airline to the Billabong Pro Maui. Also special thanks to Sean Collins and Surfline.com for all their forecasting expertise.
Billabong Pro Maui Round Three (1st>Rnd4; 2nd=9th receives US$2,750)
H1: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) 14.0 def. Pauline Menczer (AUS) 10.25
H2: Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 13.5 def. Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 4.75
H3: Trudy Todd (AUS) 11.1 def. Megan Abubo (HAW) 10.5
H4: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 11.0 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PERU) 8.25
H5: Layne Beachley (AUS) 18.5 def. Lynette MacKenzie (AUS) 6.0
H6: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 17.0 def. Laurina McGrath (AUS) 10.25
Round Two (1st, 2nd>Rnd3; 3rd=17th receives US$2,250)
H1: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 8.0; Lynnette MacKenzie (AUS) 1.5; Maria Tavares (BRA) 0.0
H2: Megan Abubo (HAW) 12.0; Pauline Menczer (AUS) 9.0; Prue Jeffries (AUS) 2.45
Round One (1st, 2nd>Rnd3; 3rd>Rnd2)
H1: Laurina McGrath (AUS) 14.5; Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 14.35; Pauline Menczer (AUS) 12.55
H2: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 10.75; Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) 10.5; Megan Abubo (HAW) 3.25
H3: Heather Clark (ZAF) 15.0; Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.1; Rebecca Woods (AUS) 7.6
H4: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 13.25; Layne Beachley (AUS) 5.5; Prue Jeffries (AUS) 5.2
H5: Trudy Todd (AUS) 9.9; Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 9.65; Lynette MacKenzie (AUS) 8.1
H6: Keala Kennelly (HAW) 14.0; Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 12.85; Maria Tavares (BRA) 7.6
Trials
1st Rebecca Woods (AUS) 15.0; 2nd Moana Wietecha (HAW) 14.5; 3rd Paige Alms (HAW) 6.45; 4th Monyca Byrne-Wickey (HAW) 6.0; 5th Helena Suehiro (HAW) 4.35; 6th Lilia Boerner (HAW) 3.0
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