ASP Women?s World Tour Rookie Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) is on top of the world after winning the Rip Curl Women's Pro and her first victory as an elite tour surfer at Bells Beach today.
She was in red hot form, trouncing the defending Rip Curl Pro and 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) in the final, which has catapulted her to equal World No. 1 with 2005 World Champion Chelsea Hedges (AUS).
Steph trailed Sofia for the first half of the final, but left the Peruvian needing a perfect 10.00 after posting the highest wave score of the entire event, a 9.33, with six minutes to go.
Mulanovich, moves from equal 17th to World No. 3 with her second place finish. Gilmore, who won two ASP Women?s World Tour events as a wildcard before qualifying for the 2007 elite tour, is determined to earn a world title in her first year on the tour.
The ladies now have some free time and do not surf another ASP Women?s World Tour event until August when they head for Brazil. Meanwhile, the Men's Rip Curl Pro continues at Bells.
Labels: ASP World Tour, Bells Beach, Rip Curl Women's Pro, Stephanie Gilmore
