Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, took out the final stop on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour today, the Billabong Pro Maui, in clean four-to-six foot (1.5 metre) conditions at the iconic pointbreak of Honolua Bay over Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 26, clinching her third consecutive Billabong Pro Maui title after three years of competition at the premier event. Gilmore wrapped up her dominating season amongst the Top 17 by claiming her second consecutive Vans Triple Crown title today as well.
Gilmore capped the year off in appropriate form after claiming her third ASP Women’s World Title at the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach, when she advanced over Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, in the Semifinals, en route to defending her flawless record at the Billabong Pro Maui while claiming the prized Hawaiian specialty series and the beefed up $25,000 prize purse supplied by Vans.
Gilmore absolutely dominated the day’s proceedings, blitzing the highest heat total of the entire 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour season by surfing a near-perfect heat of 19.67 out of 20 to usurp Samantha Cornish (AUS), 29, in her Quarterfinals heat before topping Fitzgibbons and Mulanovich en route to her second ASP Women’s World Tour win of 2009.
Mulanovich campaigned through a lengthy day of competition, topping Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), 23, Australian veteran Rebecca Woods (AUS), 25, and ASP Women’s World No. 2 Silvana Lima (BRA), 25, but was unable to top Gilmore for the victory and claimed a runner-up finish at the final event of the year to finish her season ASP Women’s World No. 3.
Fitzgibbons navigated the Honolua Bay lineup with poise and maturity beyond her years and posted some amazing scores before falling in her Semifinals bout against Gilmore, but clinched an impressive heat victory over Coco Ho (HAW), 18, in the Quarterfinals on the way to her third place finish.
Lima, who smashed one of two perfect 10-point rides during the Billabong Pro Maui with amazing barrel riding in yesterday’s action, was in stellar form for the final day of competition, but was overtaken by former Peruvian ASP Women’s World Champion, Mulanovich, in the dying minutes of their Semifinals heat, taking a third place finish to wrap up her year while finishing ASP Women’s World No. 2 for 2009.
Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines Final:
1 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 18.00
2 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 10.17
Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines Semifinals Results:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.03 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.94
SF 2: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 13.83 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 11.70
Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines Quarterfinals Results:
QF 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.83 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 15.83
QF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 19.67 def. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 7.26
QF 3: Silvana Lima 16.70 def. Melanie Bartels (HAW) 7.20
QF 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.77 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 6.50
Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines Round 3 Result:
Heat 8: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 9.50 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.17
Final 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour ratings
1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2. Silvana Lima (BRA)
3. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
4. Coco Ho (HAW)
5. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
6. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
7. Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
8. Paige Hareb (NZL)
9. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
10. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
11. Samantha Cornish (AUS)
12. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
13. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
14. Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
15. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
16. Amee Donohoe (AUS)
17. Megan Abubo (HAW)
