It was a case of Belles at Bells this afternoon when 4 times ASP World Champion Stephanie Gilmore, current world Number 1 Carissa Moore and youngest ever winner of an ASP Women’s event Tyler Wright faced the world’s surf media to launch the 50th Anniversary of competitive surfing at Bells which is the second stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season.
At age 23, the highly competitive Stephanie Gilmore is the reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending three-time Rip Curl Women’s Bells Beach winner. Gilmore who opened the 2011 season with an uncharacteristic Quarterfinal loss at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, knows that she’s got a big challenge on her hands for the 2011 ASP Women’s World Title.
“I fell behind on the Gold Coast and I’ve got some work to do to catch-up,” Gilmore says. “I have always really enjoyed my time here at Bells Beach. I’ve had some great results here, but it’s going to be a hard task to get that Bell again. I’m just really excited because the forecast looks fantastic.”
Gilmore will face Courtney Conlogue (AUS), 18, and Alana Blanchard (HAW), 20, in the opening round of competition.
Tyler Wright is currently No. 2 in the ASP Women’s World Title Race and the 17-year old has also a trophy in her sights.
“I’ve had a lot of Pro Juniors and Grom Search heats out at Bells,” Wright says. However, the super-talented surfer says that the event always throws up a surprise waves-wise.
“I don’t think you can ever really figure out Bells, but I feel good out there. There’s some swell on the way, so it’s going to be really exciting to see what goes down.”
(It’s a family affair this Easter as her older brother Owen, 21 is the 2010 ASP Rookie of the Year, is also competing.) In the opening round of competition, Wright will face the highly experienced Coco Ho (HAW), 19, and Pauline Ado (FRA) also aged 19.
Carissa Moore, the incredibly-talented 18 year-old Hawaiian surfer won the first women’s event the Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks in Queensland last month. Now the teenager who first made the more experienced women on the tour take notice four years ago in the Roxy Pro when she smashed her way into the semi finals, is out to claim her second scalp of the year.
“I’m glad I have my rookie year out of the way and I’m looking forward to having a great time at Bells.
Moore’s first heat will see her battle it out with Jacqueline Silva (BRA) and Bethany Hamilton (HAW).
According Coastalwatch, Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach official surf forecasters, there will be a 3-4 foot groundswell with clean mostly offshore to begin building on Wednesday. On Thursday, a stronger building trend with wave heights increasing throughout the day before peaking at 4-6 foot on Friday, gradually easing off into the weekend, but still 3-5 foot surf until mid-next week.
Stay tuned to Sportstar.com for all the women’s surfing action! You can catch all the surfing live through www.live.ripcurl.com and broadcast live on Fuel TV in Australia and ESPN in Brazil. For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA), Laura Enever (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW), Tyler Wright (AUS), Pauline Ado (FRA)
by Alison Aprhys
Photo courtesy of Alison Aprhys
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