Melanie Bartels (HAW) has won the 2006, Roxy Pro Hawaii at Sunset Beach, Hawaii . Surfing from the trials, Bartels caught a wave with just 14 seconds on the clock to steal the lead from co-wildcard Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and win her first-ever ASP Women?s World Tour event.
"I wasn't even in the event in the beginning," said a stoked Bartels . "Fortunately for me I got a call on Thanksgiving Day from Randy (Rarick) and he said that I had gotten a spot in the trials. I was really, really stoked, because I kept bugging him and bugging him, telling him how much I needed to be in this event because I think I?m one of the best Hawaiian's out there. It?s like it was all meant to happen."
Finishing third was Sunset Beach local, Rochelle Ballard and fourth was last year's Roxy Pro Hawaii champion Chelsea Georgeson. Georgeson' s fourth place, combined with the semifinal exits of world No. 1 Layne Beachley and world No. 2 Melanie Redman-Carr, leaves her in contention to defend her world title in Maui next week against Melanie and Layne, in an end of season showdown.
