Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) may be the defending Roxy Pro Hawaii, Vans Triple Crown of Surf and ASP Women’s World Champion, but it’s former six-time world champ Layne Beachey (AUS) sitting squarely in the driver’s seat heading into Sunset Beach this Friday.
Beachley, who has posted multiple victories at Sunset Beach, Oahu, has the potential to clinch her 7th world title at the Roxy Pro Hawaii. The second to last event on the ASP Women’s World Tour, the Roxy Pro Hawaii will enjoy a November 24 to December 6 waiting period, prime dates for big Hawaiian surf.
“I’ve had a lot of success at Sunset, so I’m feeling pretty confident,” Beachley said. “They actually call me Miss. Sunset because I’ve won five out of the last seven events there. To wrap up my seventh world title there would be amazing.”
Back at the meaty break of Sunset Beach after being held in nearby Halewia for the past five years, the Roxy Pro Hawaii will feature 16 of the world’s Top 17 female surfers, a wildcard and an injury replacement surfer to fill the shoes of rookie Silvana Lima (BRA) who is suffering a knee injury. Each will be eager to showcase their repertoires in the critically powerful right hander.
World No. 2 Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) won the 6-star World Qualifying Series(WQS) event held at Sunset Beach last year. She will want to post a similarly impressive result in 2006 if she hopes to keep her title dreams alive heading into the final ASP Women’s World Tour event in Maui this December. Only Redman-Carr, Beachley and Georgeson remain in contention for the 2006 crown. Only Beachley can clinch at Sunset.*
Sofia Mulanovich (PER) has taken an early lead in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing ratings, a series which awards an additional $10,000 to the top performing female surfer over three events – the already completed Op Pro Hawaii, a 6-star WQS and the Roxy Pro Hawaii and Billabong Pro Maui, both ASP Women’s World Tour events.
Mulanovich won the Op Pro Hawaii at Haleiwa last week – a victory which saw her catapult to 5th on the WQS, thus earning her automatic requalification onto the elite ASP Women’s World Tour in 2007 (the Top 6 surfers on the WQS earn spots on next year’s elite tour). She is currently qualifying on both tours.
Several surfers accustomed to easy requalification via the ASP Women’s World Tour will need results in the upcoming Hawaiian events to maintain their elite tour status; Hawaiian heavy-hitters Rochelle Ballard, Keala Kennelly and among them.
Past Women’s VANS Triple Crown of Surfing Champions (all but 2002 winner Neridah Falconer are competing in the 2006 series)
- 2005 Chelsea Georgeson (AUS)
- 2004 Chelsea Georgeson (AUS)
- 2003 Keala Kennelly (HAW)
- 2002 Neridah Falconer (AUS)
- 2001 Event Not Held
- 2000 Heather Clark (ZAF)
- 1999 Trudy Todd (AUS)
- 1998 Layne Beachley (AUS)
- 1997 Layne Beachley (AUS)
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