[i]Friday, 18 November, 2005
Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA
ROXY PRO HAWAII (12 November 23 November)
Photo courtesy of www.aspworldtour.com
Live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.roxy.com/roxypro
It only took Chelsea Georgeson twenty-five minutes to score a perfect 10 point wave, win the Roxy Pro Hawaii and jump to first place on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world ratings at Alii Beach Park in Haleiwa, this afternoon[/i]Performing three indisputably vertical top to bottom turns on a solid six foot (2 meter) face, Georgeson earned the only perfect 10 point wave score of the event to overcome Claire Bevilacqua (AUS), Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) and Megan Abubo (HAW) respectively in the final.
A true testament to the fitness of the women of the World Championship Tour (WCT) the finalists performed brilliantly despite having to surf a total of four rounds today. The event ran from start to finish today, taking advantage of what may have been some of the best conditions the women have enjoyed all year. Despite paddling out for the final just 10 minutes after advancing through semifinal number two, Georgeson showed no sign of fatigue.
I didnt really catch that many waves throughout the whole contest. I was only catching about two waves a heat so I wasnt too tired,”Georgeson said.
“I was just trying to keep momentum and not wear myself out, and thank God I could keep going, because sometimes I spaz out and go too hard early on and dont end up getting any waves in the final. But this time it all just fell into place for me.
Capitalizing on the shock quarterfinal exit of reigning world champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER), who held the ratings lead prior to todays event, Georgeson used the opportunity to catapult herself into first place in the ratings race going into the final event of the year in Maui.
This feels so good after Malibu when I had that chance to get ahead of Sof the heat after she got knocked out and I blew it and got knocked out myself, said Georgeson. When I saw the opportunity this time I just took it.
Had the tables been turned with Georgeson bowing out in the quarterfinals and Mulanovich winning, Mulanovich would have tied up the world title here today. Instead, Georgeson holds the reins going into the last event of the year. Mulanovich must place first or second in Maui to retain her crown, and even with a win there, should Georgeson come second, shed be forced to relinquish it. If Mulanovich places second, Georgeson can win with a fifth.
Runner-up at the Roxy Pro Hawaii today was WCT rookie Bevilacqua, who surfed incredibly all day and was only overshadowed by Georgesons unbelievable performances. Bevilacqua was so ecsatic about making her first ever WCT final that she was on the phone to call friends and family straight after her heat and was unavailable for comment.
Third place finisher Melanie Redman-Carr was happy with her third place finish as well. I was in fourth the whole heat so finishing third in the heat at the end actually feels like winning.
Abubo, the lone local in the otherwise Australian heat wasnt quite as content with her fourth-place finish but fared well enough here to maintain her third place world ranking. Ive made the final here six times and never won at my home break so Im really disappointed with my performance out there,she said. But Chels went off and Im happy for her.
ROXY PRO HAWAII RESULTS:
FINAL
1st=$10,000 and 1200 ratings points; 2nd=$6,000 and 972 ratings points; 3rd=$4,400 and 756 ratings points; 4th=$4,100 and 654 ratings points;
Listed in order 1st to 4th
Chelsea Georgeson (AUS); Claire Bevilacqua (AUS); Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS); Megan Abubo (HAW)
SEMIFINALS
1st and 2nd place advance to FINAL
3rd:5th place, 552Pts, U$3,600
4th:7th place, 438Pts, U$3,400
Listed in order 1st to 4th
SF1: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS); Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS); Laurina McGrath (AUS); Maria Tita Tavares (BRA)
SF2: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS); Megan Abubo (HAW); Serena Brooke (AUS); Samantha Cornish (AUS)
QUARTERFINALS
1st and 2nd place advance to SEMIFINAL
3rd:9th place, 360Pts, U$2,800
4th:13rd place, 360Pts, U$2,700
Listed in order 1st to 4th
Q1: Maria Tita Tavares (BRA); Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS); Keala Kennelly (HAW)
Q2: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS); Laurina McGrath (AUS); Sofia Mulanovich (PER); Carissa Moore (HAW)
Q3: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS); Serena Brooke (AUS); Jacqueline Silva (BRA); Prue Jefferies (AUS)
Q4: Megan Abubo (HAW); Samantha Cornish (AUS); Heather Clark (ZAF); Pauline Menczer (AUS)
RATINGS AFTER ROXY PRO HAWAII
1. Chelsea Georgeson
2. Sofia Mulanovich
3. Megan Abubo
4. Layne Beachley
5. Melanie Redman-Carr
6. Rochelle Ballard
7. Keala Kennelly
8. Samantha Cornish
9. Trudy Todd
10. Claire Bevilacqua
For complete ratings and results go to www.aspworldtour.com