Stephanie Gilmore has won her 5th ASP Women’s World Title, winning the Roxy Pro Biarritz over Tyler Wright
“I woke up this morning and thought it wouldn’t happen today,” Gilmore said. “But as the day progressed, and things fell into place, I began to believe it could happen. France is such a special place and having so many people on the beach watching us surf today is really emotional. I think I’m going to cry.”
Steph set an ASP record by being the 1st surfer ever to win 4 titles from 4 attempts (2007 – 2010), but fell back to ASP Women’s World No. 3 in 2011. This emotional win is a reaffirmation of her authority as one of the greatest icons in women’s sports.
“This year for me was all about improving my consistency and having fun with my surfing,” Gilmore said. “From when I started five years ago to where we are now, women’s surfing has improved so much. It’s an honor to be back up top as these girls push me everyday and are all incredible surfers.”
This astounding achievement puts the young natural footer in an elite class of surfers to win 5 or more ASP World Titles, overcoming women’s records set by America’s Freida Zamba and Lisa Andersen and Wendy Botha from Australia . The only other 2 surfers in history to claim five or more titles are 11x champ Kelly Slater and ozzy surf girl, Layne Beachley.
“I have an amazing support team between my family, friends, my shaper Darren Handley, my sponsors and all the people at Quiksilver,” Gilmore said. “To be able to do what we do and make a life out of surfing is a really blessed thing. Surfing is what motivates me to wake up each day and attempt to better myself.”
2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour Results:
Roxy Pro Gold Coast: WINNER
Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach: Runner-Up
TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival: WINNER
Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic: Equal 5th
Billabong Rio Pro: Equal 5th
Roxy Pro Biarritz: WINNER
Nike US Open of Surfing: TBD
Fellow finalist Tyler Wright put on an dazzling display throughout the Roxy Pro Biarritz, besting Courtney Conlogue and Coco Ho on the way to the finals, unfortunately, her momentum didn’t pass into the final bout against Stephanie Gilmore but the tour junior was elated with her performance nonetheless. This runner up finish is a season best for Tyler Wright and leaps her from 5th to 3rd on the elite ASP Women’s World Championship Tour rankings.
“I feel pretty good,” Wright said. “I was so excited for Steph (Gilmore). She was ahead of me the whole time and with five minutes to go I was like, ‘you’ve done it!’ It’s incredible – she ripped the whole contest and didn’t lose one heat, she was shredding!”
Hawaii’s, Carissa Moore, was halted in her effort to send the ASP Women’s World Title race to the final event in California by eventual winner and newly crowned Champion Stephanie Gilmore in a real energizing semifinal that witnessed the lead change hands numerous times before the Aussie managed to find 2 high scoring rides, closing Carissa Moore down. The Hawaiian placing 3rd in Biarritz has decreased the gap between her and the 2d place on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour rankings.
“I’m pretty happy,” Moore said. “Obviously I would have loved to surf another final but it’s still pretty good. I think the women’s level has come a long way, but honestly today it was more a matter of being in the right spot and getting in a good rythmn and it’s tough if you don’t get to find the good opportunities and another person does. I’m always looking forward to competing so I’m really looking forward to going to the US Open and hopefully I’ll get a good performance there.”
Coco Ho was accountable for the greatest upset when she defeated Sally Fitzgibbons in the quarterfinals. Ho was later finished by runner-up Tyler Wright in the semis. Finishing equal 3rd in Biarritz, Coco Ho confirms her newly ascertained rythmn after a magnificent 2d place in the previous event in Brazil.
“I’m stoked it feels good to be able to get through those tough first rounds and be able to back up my last good result”, Ho said. “It was close but I’m stoked with the overall result. We’re really lucky the conditions came together for us today, ‘Grande Plage’ offered us some really good potential and it was just a matter of positioning so we’re stoked we’re really lucky.”
ROXY PRO BIARRITZ FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 18.53
2 – Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.10
ROXY PRO BIARRITZ SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.66 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 9.37
SF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.10 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.50
ROXY PRO BIARRITZ QUARTER-FINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.37 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.53
QF 2: Coco Ho (HAW) 12.60 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 8.76
QF 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.57 def. Malia Manuel (HAW) 10.00
QF 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.33 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 12.07
ROXY PRO BIARRITZ ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 11.40 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 9.50
Heat 2: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.67 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 8.77
Heat 3: Malia Manuel (HAW) 12.10 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 9.16
Heat 4: Laura Enever (AUS) 12.13 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 8.66
CURRENT ASP WOMEN’S WCT TOP 5 (After Roxy Pro Biarritz):
1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 48,400 pts
2. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 42,100 pts
3. Carissa Moore (HAW) 36,700 pts
3. Tyler Wright (AUS) 36,700 pts
5. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 34,800 pts
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