COOLANGATTA, Australia — The best female surfers in the world are diligently preparing for the opening event of this ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast running from Feb. 23 through March 6. Chelsea Hedges, former ASP
COOLANGATTA, Australia — The best female surfers in the world are diligently preparing for the opening event of this ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast running from Feb. 23 through March 6.
Chelsea Hedges, former ASP Women’s World Champion and defending Roxy Pro Champion, will be absent from competition this season as she prepares for the birth of her first child. Georgeson’s absence ensures that the Roxy Pro will see a new champion this year and the ASP Top 17 will all be vying for a solid result to kick start their respective 2008 campaigns.
Stephanie Gilmore, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and into her sophomore season on the Dream Tour, won the Roxy Pro Gold Coast as a wildcard in 2005, and finished equal fifth place last year. The phenomenal natural-footer will be looking to open up her ASP World Title defense this season with a solid finish in her home beaches of the Gold Coast.
“I’ve just been relaxing a lot and I suppose I am still taking it all in from last year’s win,” Gilmore said in a release. “I’m pretty confident heading into the Roxy Pro as it’s right here at home, and I have just been surfing a lot n surfing a lot at Snapper and a bit at D’Bah. I’ve just got a fresh batch of boards from my shaper, Darren Handley, so I’ve been working pretty hard at getting those sorted out.”
Sofia Mulanovich, former ASP Women’s World Champion and last season’s runner-up, finished a disappointing 17th at the 2007 Roxy Pro Gold Coast, but will be keen to start her 2008 campaign on a stronger note.
“I have been surfing a lot, doing yoga and trying to get mentally prepared to start this year,” Mulanovich said. “I feel great and I’m looking forward to going to Australia soon. I am super amped to surf the Roxy Pro on the Goldy. I have never had a good result there so there’s always room to improve and that always keeps me really motivated.”
Melanie Redman-Carr, a veteran campaigner on the ASP Women’s World Tour and perennial challenger to the crown, recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl (Willow) and will refrain from competing in the season opening Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
“I expect to return to the ASP Women’s World Tour at Easter time,” Redman-Carr said. “Last year, sitting at home and watching the girls surfing in Hawai‘i, I really missed being part of it and I look forward to being involved again this year.”
Claire Bevilacqua, who finished 13th on the ASP Women’s World Tour last year, narrowly missing the qualification cutoff, will get a chance to prove herself on the Gold Coast, replacing Redman-Carr as first alternate.
“I want to go out and beat every single person who didn’t think I belonged on tour this season,” Bevilacqua said.
In addition to returning campaigners on this season’s ASP Women’s World Tour, two new faces in former ASP World Junior Champion Nicola Atherton and Karina Petroni will do battle against the world’s best, and sink their teeth into elite competition at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.
The Roxy Pro Trials will go down at Snapper Rocks on Feb. 22, and will feature 12 of the best up-and-coming surfers in the world including reigning ASP World Junior Champion Sally Fitzgibbons, Laurina McGrath, Alise Arnaud, Laura Enever, Arini Mason, last year’s Roxy Pro Gold Coast runner-up Carissa Moore, among others.
The winner of the Roxy Pro Trials will receive a seed into the Roxy Pro Gold Coast and will draw reigning ASP Women’s World Champ Gilmore in the opening round.
