Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore made surfing history yesterday as the first rookie to be crowned the 2007 ASP World Tour Champion. The 19-year-old ¨natural-footer¨ sealed the title after Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich and Brazil’s Silvana Lima were defeated in round three upsets at the Billabong Pro Maui, the final event on the 2007 ASP World Tour.
Gilmore’s rookie season included victories at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in Australia, the NAB Beachley Classic in Sydney and the Mancora Peru Classic. But her ninth place finish at the Roxy Pro Hawaii, event seven of eight on the tour, paved the way for Mulanovich and Lima to contend for the world title at the Billabong Pro Maui.
“Right now, I’m just enjoying the moment,” Gilmore told ASP news. “It’s such an incredible feeling; I honestly can’t describe it. Definitely though, next year I will be bringing my focus back to the tour. I don’t want to lose this feeling, and I can’t wait to finish out the year and head into 2008.”
Wildcard Keala Kennelly surprised the tour in round three by netting the highest single-wave score of the event, a 9.9 out of a possible 10, and eliminating Peru’s Mulanovich. ¨I really didn’t want to draw any of the ASP Women’s World Title contenders because I know how it feels to be in that positions,¨ said Kennelly. ¨That barrel was amazing, but this is probably the worst I have ever felt coming in after winning a heat. Sofia is a true champion and such a gracious person, regardless of whether she is winning or losing.¨
Although the ASP Women’s World Title has been crowned, eight competitors still remain in the hunt for the Billabong Pro Maui event win as well as the 2007 Vans Triple Crown. With Mulanovich’s elimination, Hawaii’s Melanie Bartels, Australia’s Layne Beachley and frontrunner Megan Abubo still remain in contention for the Vans Triple Crown.
