Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Chelsea Georgeson (QLD, AUS) defeated current world number one Melanie Redman-Carr (WA, AUS) in the final of this year’s Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle WCT held on September 4th.

Georgeson dominated the final day in classic 4-5ft surf in Seignosse, France, eliminating ASP World Junior Champion Jessi Miley-Dyer (NSW, AUS) in the semi-finals and then Redman-Carr in the 30 minute final. The goofy-footer is still ranked third overall on the World Tour ratings, but edges closer to six-time world champion Layne Beachley (NSW, AUS) who is ranked second.

After posting a 6.65 midway through the final, the 22-year-old cemented her lead over Redman-Carr with a 9.00 point score on a large right hand wave late in the heat. Redman-Carr searched for high scoring waves, but fell short only managing a combined two-wave score of 10.25 points. Georgeson’s 15.65 score was enough to win the final and defend her Rip Curl Pro WCT title here in southern France.

“I’m just happy to have my first win this year,” Georgeson said. “It feels like forever since my last win at Maui. It’s definitely been a hard start to the year, because Mel’s just been on fire. She won the first three contests of the year and there hasn’t been a whole lot of room for anyone else up there at the top. At the same time, it’s really good competition.”

Chelsea Georgeson surfing her way to the winner’s podium

“Right now, each contest is about trying to get a win because that’s all I can do to get the world title back and that’s what it’s going to take to get it back,” said Georgeson. “You can’t win it with seconds and thirds, it’s going to takes firsts at the moment. I’ve only got one win, Mel’s got three, but hopefully in the next three contests I can just do what I did here, be really focused and hope everything comes together for me.”

Redman-Carr was happy to regain the World Tour ratings lead and be back on the podium after a shocker =17th place finish in Brazil.

“I was really happy to make it into the finals, I had already regained my ratings lead at that point, but I didn’t really feel like I was in the final,” Redman-Carr said. “Chelsea got the best waves today and I probably missed one or two, I just mis-timed them, so it was just quite boring for me out there – I was just drifting around out there hoping it would end.”

ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Jessi Miley-Dyer was a standout in the early rounds yesterday, but fell victim to the sometimes inconsistent ocean in her semi-final heat today. The 20-year-old only rode one wave in the 30-minute heat and sat frustrated until the siren sounded. Her second scoring wave never came and the win was handed to Georgeson. The Australian will happily hold onto fourth place overall on the world rankings, behind Redman-Carr, Beachley and Georgeson. She also currently sits first overall on the World Qualifying Series leader board.

The podium Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle 06

“I’m stoked just to make it through to the semis and get another strong result,” Miley-Dyer said. “Chels surfed really good and when people surf really good like that, you can’t really do much about it. Maybe if I’d caught two waves I could have given myself a better chance!?”

Comfortably placed in fifth overall on the World Tour ratings is Brazilian rider Silvana Lima, who finished =3rd with Miley-Dyer today after losing to Redman-Carr in semi-final 1 this morning. The 21-year-old was in awesome form yesterday, but like Miley-Dyer struggled to find waves in her semi-final.

“The waves were good, but I couldn’t catch them because I was paddling for the wrong ones,” Lima said. “It was a good heat but luck was definitely on Mel’s side, not mine. Overall it was a good experience, getting another third place is a good result for me. I just hope I can do better next time. I’m gaining experience on the WCT and am in a good position on the ratings – I’m focused and hoping to keep doing well.”

The next event on the 2006 ASP Women’s World Tour is the Havaianas Beachley Classic in Sydney, Australia in October.

For more info, check out: www.ripcurl.com

FINAL RIP CURL PRO MADEMOISELLE RESULTS

Final:

1. Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) 15.65 def (US$10,000)

2. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 10.25 (US$6,000)

Semifinals:

1st advances to Final, 2nd finishes equal 3rd and earns US$4,250

Semifinal 1: Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 11.00 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 2.30

Semifinal 2: Chelsea Georgeson (AUS) 13.75 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 5.00

ASP Women’s World Tour Ratings After the Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle

• 1. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 4752 points
• 2. Layne Beachley (AUS) 4452 points
• 3. Chelsea Georgeson 4044 points
• 4. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 2808 points
• 5. Silvana Lima (BRA) 2796 points