Rip Curl Women's Pro Search Commences in Pumping Belgas
Steph Gilmore photo: ASP Robertson
The world’s best female surfers are preparing to do battle once again as Stop No. 4 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search, begins the opening rounds of competition in offshore three-to-four foot waves at the backup site of Belgas today.
With conditions deteriorating at the primary venue of Supertubos this morning, where Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, clinched the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search over Bede Durbidge (AUS), 26, event organizers opted to hunt down the best conditions possible for the commencement of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search, moving to the other side of the peninsula where prime conditions awaited them at Belgas.
“It’s been an unusual day as yesterday the wind forecast was for the total opposite,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search Contest Director, said. “The wind came in earlier than expected for the men’s Final at Supertubos so we have moved the girls 10 kilometers north to find clean, offshore, barreling lefthanders for them. We’ll monitor the conditions but plan on running both Round 1 and Round 2 today.”
First up this afternoon is current ASP Women’s World No. 6, Rebecca Woods (AUS), 25, up against tour veteran Jacqueline Silva (BRA), 30, and 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Bruna Schmitz (BRA), 19.
Surfline, official forecasters for the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling for the current surf to drop slightly over the next 24 hours before another swell is expected to hit the region.
The Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search will be webcast LIVE via http://live.ripcurl.com
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO SEARCH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Rebecca Woods (AUS), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Heat 2: Melanie Bartels (HAW), Samantha Cornish (AUS), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Amee Donohoe (AUS), Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 4: Silvana Lima (BRA), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Megan Abubo (HAW)
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AYS)
Heat 6: Paige Hareb (NZL), Coco Ho (HAW), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
