[i]Wednesday, 7 December, 2005
Honolua Bay, Hawaii, USA
BILLABONG PRO MAUI (8 December 20 December)
Claire Bevolacqua, Keala Kennelly & Rochelle Ballard-best of friends on land but fierce competitors in the water.
Live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com
The Billabong Pro Maui, the final event on the 2005 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Womens World Tour, will enter its 12-day waiting period Thursday, December 8. Set in Honolua Bay from December 8-20, the Billabong Pro Maui will feature the worlds best women surfers, each eager to cap their 2005 campaigns with a win.[/i]While the majority of the limelight will shine upon world title contenders Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) and Sofia Mulanovich (PER), a different sort of scramble will transpire just below the surface. For many girls currently sitting in critical World Championship Tour (WCT) and World Qualifying Series (WQS) ratings situations, the outcome of the Billabong Pro Maui will prove the deciding factor on whether or not they qualify for the 17 top tier WCT spots.
The top 10 surfers on the WCT after Maui will automatically secure their 2006 berths. The top six women on the WQS join them. If a surfer qualifies on both tours, their WCT result is taken and the next surfer down on the WQS makes the cut.
Because WQS number two Melanie Redmann-Carr (AUS) has already qualified via her WCT result, the surfer sitting in spot number seven on the WQS, Serena Brooke (AUS), automatically earns a spot. WCT surfers Brooke, along with Brazils Jacqueline Silva, are safe citing their WQS results, but could potentially open the door for the girls below them on the WQS if they jump into the top 10 on the ASP Womens World Tour after Maui.
Hawaiian Melanie Bartels is next in line to qualify courtesy of her 8th place WQS finish, and as she is not mathematically capable of qualifying via her WCT results regardless of her performance in Maui, shell be hoping Brooke and Silva garner solid results on Honolua Bays rights.
Laurina McGrath is teetering on both tours, but is fortunate in that she could potentially qualify on either. She can only qualify via the WQS if both Brooke and Silva crack the top ten on the WCT. A good result in Maui will get her there too. If she qualifies on both tours, then Caroline Sarran of France could qualify with her 10th place WQS result.
Rebecca Woods, who is rated 13th but was forced to withdraw from the final two events of the year due to a shoulder injury, will qualify with her first place WQS rating. Woods fellow 2005 tour rookie Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) who currently sits in 10th place on the WCT, needs to stay there if she hopes to contest the ASP Womens World Tour next year.
Trudy Todd (AUS) and Samantha Cornish (AUS) also need good results to keep them in the top 10. Todd has voiced a desire to retire at the end of the year, but has not formally done so. If she does and is still in the top 10, the next girl in line on the WCT will qualify.
Log on to www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com to see who makes the cut!
WCT RATINGS GOING INTO THE BILLABONG PRO MAUI
1. Chelsea Georgeson 6432 points
2. Sofia Mulanovich 5820 points
3. Megan Abubo 4614 points
4. Layne Beachley 4308 points
4. Melanie Redman-Carr 4308 points
6. Rochelle Ballard 3924 points
7. Keala Kennelly 3876 points
8. Samantha Cornish 3786 points
9. Trudy Todd 3756 points
10. Claire Bevilacqua 3720 points
11. Serena Brooke 3324 points
12. Rebecca Woods 3312 points
13. Laurina McGrath 3108 points
14. Jaqueline Silva 3096 points
15. Heather Clark 2532 points
16. Maria Tita Tavares 2250 points
17. Melanie Bartels 2160 points
2005 FINAL WQS RATINGS
1. Rebecca Woods (AUS) will qualify with her WQS result
2. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) will qualify via the WCT
3. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) will qualify with her WQS result
4. Julia Christian (USA) will qualify with her WQS result
5. Jaqueline Silva (BRA)
6. Silvana Lima (BRA) will qualify with her WQS result
7. Serena Brooke (AUS)
8. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
9. Laurina McGrath (AUS)
10. Caroline Sarran (FRA)
Log on to www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com to see who makes the cut!