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The Roxy Jam UK site at Perranporth Beach.
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Roxy Jam UK (May 21-27) Live on www.aspworldtour.com & www.roxyjam.com
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)
2005 Women's World Championship Tour (WCT)
NEW ZEALAND'S LISA HURUNUI CLAIMS ROXY JAM WILDCARD
Monday, 23 May 2005 (Perranporth Beach, Cornwall, England): New Zealand's Lisa Hurunui has surfed her way into her first-ever World Championship Tour (WCT) event today. The 25-year-old earned a wildcard entry in the Roxy Jam UK presented by Samsung after winning the Roxy Trials in testing, two to three foot (1m) conditions at Perranporth Beach.
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Lisa Hurunui (NZ) won the Roxy Trials to earn her first ever wildcard slot into a WCT event, The Roxy Jam UK. Hurunui will face reigning world champ Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) and Rebecca Woods (Aus) in her round 1 heat.
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Blustery onshore winds made it difficult for the surfers to hear the announcers, so Hurunui emerged from the choppy sea unsure of the result.
"I can't get over it. I was coming out and I hadn't heard the final results and I was going, 'Oh please, just this once, let me get through'," Hurunui said. "Caroline (Sarran) pips me at the post all the time and I just didn't want it to happen again. I can't believe I've made it through. I'm so stoked. I tried to put together two turns and it seems to have paid off."
Hurunui, who hails from Gisborne, established an early lead which she maintained to beat Adelina Taylor, of the Canary Islands, who finished second, and France's Charlotte Caton and Caroline Sarran, who placed third and fourth respectively.
With several national titles to her credit and two Roxy Trials events under her belt, Hurunui performed a series of righthand snaps to secure the win and advance into the main event of the Roxy Jam. Hurunui, who has been competing on the World Qualifying Series (WQS) for three years, is currently ranked 36th.
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Caroline Sarran chats to the media after she won her round 1 heat at the Roxy Jam Trials.
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"I've surfed against a lot of the (WCT) girls before and competing against the best women in the world only makes you better, so I can't wait," Hurunui said. She will face reigning world champion and current ratings leader Sofia Mulanovich (PER) and Australian rookie Rebecca Woods in heat three of round one.
The first round of the Evian Expression Session ran yesterday, cutting the field of 16 hopefuls in half. With US$5,000 up for grabs, US$2,500 for first place, the remaining surfers will be raring to air when the competition resumes. The eight surfers advancing into the final to be held later this week are Chelsea Georgeson (AUS), Megan Abubo (HAW), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Caroline Sarran (FRA) Sam Cornish (AUS) Laurina McGrath (AUS) Mulanovich and Hurunui.
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Adelina Taylor (Canary Islands) finished runner up in the Roxy Jam Trials, narrowly missing out on a wildcard slot into the main event.
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Out of the water, Roxy, in conjunction with the "Keep A Breast" foundation, have been busy entertaining the masses while simultaneously amassing money for charity. An auction offering artistically-enhanced, plaster-cast busts of many of the world's best female surfers raised more than a £17,000 (US$34,000) last night.the entire sum of which will be donated to the British breast cancer charity the 'Lavender Trust.' Combine that with the fares the impressive lineup of female-fronted bands have fetched from performing on site and in neighborhood pubs, and the total amount of money raised thus far nears the £25,000 (US$50,000) mark.
The next call concerning the competition will be made tomorrow morning, May 24th. Log onto www.aspworldtour.com and www.roxyjam.com for more.
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