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News
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| GLOBAL NEWS |
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Rebecca Woods (Aus) beat reigning world champ Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) and wildcard Lisa Hurinui to advance to round 3.
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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)
MULANOVICH AND GEORGESON SET THE BAR IN ROUNDS ONE AND TWO OF THE ROXY JAM
Tuesday, 24 April, 2005 (St. Agnes, Cornwall, England): The decision to mobilize the Roxy Jam from Perranporth to St. Agnes this morning proved a wise one for the women of the World Championship Tour (WCT). Rounds one and two were contested in clean, two to four foot conditions in the charming Cornish cove today.
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Wildcard Lisa Hurinui (NZ) scored a sensational upset when she sidelined reigning world champ Sofia Mulanovich (Peru) to the losers round 2. Hurinui advanced to round 3.
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Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) ratings leaders, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) and Chelsea Georgeson (AUS), who sit first and second respectively, posted the days' highest heat scores; their stand-out surfing setting the scene for what could potentially become a budding world title race between the best friends.
Georgeson, who garnered the event's highest combined wave score of 17.50 with relative ease, surfed powerfully in her round one heat against Trudy Todd (AUS) and Pauline Menczer (AUS). Fresh off a victory in Tahiti, the Gold Coast surfer appeared relaxed and confident as she illustrated the new judging criteria perfectly - performing radical, controlled maneuvers in critical sections of the four-foot waves.
Georgeson has surfed well all year, but seems to have found her stride in recent weeks.
"I had an alright start to the year, I made the first semifinal, but I was really bummed not to make it through to that final on the Gold Coast," Georgeson said. "I was still disappointed about it in Bells and I didn't quite get to the final in Fiji but everything just fell into place in Tahiti. I know now that I've got what it takes, so I'm really starting to get into a rhythm."
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Megan Abubo and Lisa Andersen take part in the Keep a Breast auction. Abubo won the bid for Roxy Event Manager Tori's cast.
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Reigning world champ, Mulanovich, who claimed victories of her own in Bells Beach and Fiji, welcomes the challenge posed by her friend: "Chelsea is a great surfer, its going to be hard, but I know it'll be a good battle, so I'm stoked."
Mulanovich got off to a bumpy start this morning, coming third to rookie Rebecca Woods (AUS) and wildcard Lisa Hurunui (NZL) respectively in round one. Appearing to be experiencing equipment difficulties, the current ratings leader came in to swap boards early in the heat.
"I don't know what was going on in the first heat. I was pretty nervous and just not focusing well but I changed my board and now I'm feeling good," Mulanovich said.
Finding her form in the elimination round against Heather Clark (ZAF) and Pauline Menczer (AUS), Mulanovich dropped into a steep, open-faced bomb, smacked the lip several times, and earned a 9.6 for her efforts.
"I'm a really hot and cold surfer. If I can get a wave, I get fired up and I'll do it, if not I'll lose it, but now I'm back on track and feeling good again so bring it on," Mulanovich said.
Mulanovich will face Hurunui (NZL), the Roxy Jam wildcard who gained entrance into her first ever WCT event when she won the Roxy Trials yesterday, in heat four of round three which will likely run tomorrow. Hurunui beat Mulanovich in round one today.
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Chelsea Georgeson (Gold Coast, Aus) won her opening round heat with the highest heat score (17.50 out of 20) of the day.
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"It went a little bit worse than my trials heat yesterday and I was getting a little bit nervous at the end," said Hurunui. "But I saw that Sofia kept catching a lot of bad waves so I was thinking, 'keep that up' and then me and Woodsy got the good ones."
Keala Kennelly (HAW) got a good one in her round one heat and avoided round two in the process. Sitting in third with thirty seconds on the clock, Kennelly caught a wave worth 7.15 points to jump into first in front of Megan Abubo (HAW) and Claire Bevilacqua (AUS).
Still suffering some from a gash to the head courtesy of the Tahitian reef, Kennelly was stoked to avoid round two.
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Six times ASP world champ Layne Beachley (Aus) scored a convincing victory over Sam Cornish (Aus) and Maria Tita Tavares (Bra) to advance to round 3.
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"When that cold water hit where I had my injury, it felt like somebody was taking a nail and a hammer and just pounding it into the back of my skull. It was excruciating," Kennelly said. "That was really my motivation going into round one, I was thinking, 'if I make it through this heat, I won't have to surf again'."
Clark and Maria Tita Tavares (BRA) surfed again and were eliminated in round two today. Competition will likely resume tomorrow at 10am at St. Agnes Beach. A call will be made tomorrow morning at 9am.
ROUND TWO: 1st 2nd advance to ROUND THREE, 3rd finishes equal 17th and receives US$2,250
H1: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 16.35, Pauline Menzcer (AUS) 11.00, Heather Clark (ZAF) 8.25
H2: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 9.50, Laurina McGrath (AUS) 6.30, Maria Tita Tavares (BRA) 5.40
ROUND ONE: 1st 2nd advance to ROUND THREE, 3rd must surf ROUND TWO
H1: Keala Kennelly (HAW) 11.50, Megan Abubo (HAW) 11.35, Claire Bevilaqua (AUS) 9.50
H2: Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 11.65, Serena Brooke (AUS) 10.60, Heather Clark (ZAF) 9.90
H3: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 14.50, Lisa Hurunui (NZL) 9.00, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 7.10
H4: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) 17.50, Trudy Todd (AUS) 11.00, Pauline Menczer (AUS) 10.50
H5: Layne Beachley (AUS) 10.85, Samantha Cornish (AUS) 8.40, Maria Tita Tavares (BRA) 5.25
H6: Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 14.25, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.35, Laurina McGrath (AUS) 7.90
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