HONOLULU — Peruvian Sofia Mulanovich, 21, made professional surfing history Saturday by becoming the first South American, man or woman, to claim the Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour crown. Mulanovich clinched the crown with a second-place finish, as
HONOLULU — Peruvian Sofia Mulanovich, 21, made professional surfing history Saturday by becoming the first South American, man or woman, to claim the Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour crown.
Mulanovich clinched the crown with a second-place finish, as closest rival and Kaua‘i native Rochelle Ballard lost in the quarterfinals.
Ballard still retained her second-place spot in the standings going into the final event of the season, the Billabong Pro Maui, starting December 7.
Six-time world champion Layne Beachley, 32, of Australia, passed the torch to Mulanovich in a form befitting a true champion, taking first place in the Roxy Pro, in what became the richest women’s final in pro surfing history.
With solid six-foot sets, light winds and the two world champs in the water, Roxy executives seized the moment and doubled the prize money mid-heat, giving Beachley an total $20,000 for the win.
“When I was a little kid I used to dream about this,” said Mulanovich. “A couple of years ago I didn’t think I’d be able to win a world title. I wasn’t that confident. But this year helped my self-confidence.”
Mulanovich has dominated the 2004 season since the get-go, reaching four of the six W.C.T. events held to date, winning three of them. One event remains following the Roxy Pro, the Billabong Pro on Maui, starting December 7.
“I’ve done this for my country and for all South Americans,” continued Mulanovich. “My goal was to be world champion today. For the future? I don’t know. I’m just stoked I’m the world champion this year.”
The final scores over each surfer’s top two rides had Beachley on 13.26 points, Mulanovich on 9.34, Georgeson with 8.6 and and Tavares on zero – having failed to catch a single ride in the shifting, competitive line-up.
“It’s not bitter, it’s very, very sweet,” said a satisfied Beachley. “I’m going out with a sense of achievement and a sense of relief. This was my first final of the year, so there’s a sense of relief and achievement to win. Of all the girls on tour, I think Sofia’s the most deserving of a world title. She’s worked hard, she’s modest and humble in what she sets out to achieve. She calls it luck, but I call it greatness. There’s a lot more responsibility and expectation on a world champion. There’s far more to it than just surfing well and she’s capable of pulling all that together. Just the fact that Sofia has taken the sport to a new nation. Women’s surfing is evolving into a sport that is creating heroes.”
