BELLS BEACH, VICTORIA AUSTRALIA – World number seven Megan Abubo today took out her first World Championship Tour event for 2000 when she defeated Rochelle Ballard of Kaua’i in the first all-Hawaiian SunSmart Classic final at Bells Beach. The 22-year-old
BELLS BEACH, VICTORIA AUSTRALIA – World number seven Megan Abubo today took out
her first World Championship Tour event for 2000 when she defeated Rochelle
Ballard of Kaua’i in the first all-Hawaiian SunSmart Classic final at Bells
Beach.
The 22-year-old surfed brilliantly, leading for the majority of the
35-minute final, securing her second only WCT career win on her second to last
ride.
The 8.0 point ride was the highest single wave of the final, giving
her a total point score of 18.90, over Ballard’s 18.75.
“I’m going to ring
that bell so loud,” exclaimed Abubo on the shoreline.
“I’m stoked, I always
wanted to make the final of this event and to surf against my best friend is
like a dream. I love this place! It was tough, it was one of the toughest heats
I’ve ever surfed ’cause Rochelle was surfing really well and it was hard to
find a wave that had an open face on it.”
Moments later, both Abubo and
Ballard were up on stage to accept their coveted Bells’ trophies, and had the
following to say before a congregation of thousands.
“I’d just like to
thank SunSmart for sponsoring a good event for us and making us all feel at
home when we’re overseas,” added Abubo.
“I’d also like to thank Rochelle
for putting on a really great final and all the other girls — and thanks to
all the people for coming out and supporting women’s surfing, thank
you.”
World number five Ballard, 29, then gave some thanks
herself.
“I’d also like to thank everyone for coming out,” she said.
“It’s taken me a while to win a Bell, so I’d better ring it (she laughed,
before happily rattling the trophy). Bells’ is a great wave to surf and Megan
did a great job.”
Equal third in the SunSmart Classic went to Australia’s
Neridah Falconer and Brazil’s Maria ‘Tita’ Tavares.
The semi-finals were
decided at Winki Pop, approximately 500 metres to the east of the main setup at
Bells, due to small conditions.
Falconer, who had been the giant killer in
her two previous heats, defeating four-time world champion Lisa Andersen (USA)
in the first round, then current two-time world champion Layne Beachley (Aus)
in the second, bowed-out to the surfing of Ballard in the first
semi-final.
“I did all the hard work to get here, I had the hardest heats,”
explained Falconer. “I just wish I got to show myself more out there
today.”
While in the second semi-final, the diminutive Tavares looked
threatening right up until the end, but luckily for Abubo, the Brazilian was
not able to find the last 7.01 ride she was after.
