Beyond Boarders

Here are the pictures I promised of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast held at Kirra, Australia, March 2009. Sorry for the delay, let's just say that there have been a few distractions.

Thanks to Cyclone Hamish, the historic pointbreak offered churning barrels with massive scoring potential in the final and local favorite, Joel Parkinson, proved to be very much at home in the challenging conditions. Parkinson buckled his board on the first wave but returned to the lineup to nail a perfect 10, his second of the day. Taking him to victory over former ASP World Junior Champion, young Brazilian, Adriano de Souza, who was surfing in his first ASP World Tour final.

In the women's final of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, another local, who happens to be the reigning two-time ASP Women's World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore, defeated Melanie Bartels from Hawaii. The final was held at Snapper Rocks and was her fourth consecutive win on the ASP Women?s World Tour.

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour, Australia, Gold Coast, Joel Parkinson, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing

The 2009 professional surfing season has kicked off for both the men and the women, on Australia's Queensland, Gold Coast. And both opening events saw wins for Australian surfers.

21 year old Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), reigning two-time ASP Women's World Champion, won the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile, defeating Melanie Bartels (HAW), in the Final. Then, fellow Australian, Joel Parkinson (AUS), claimed victory in the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, defeating fellow finalist Adriano de Souza (BRA).

I will post detailed reports and pictures for both events. The tours now move on to Bells Beach, Australia, in April.

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour, Australia, Joel Parkinson, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing

Stephanie Gilmore has also finished her season with a big win in Hawaii.

Having just been crowned ASP Women's World Champion for the second time, the young Australian stormed to victory in the Billabong Pro Maui, defeating Melanie Bartels (HAW), claiming the her second consecutive win in the event at Ho'okipa Beach Park and earning her first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (an ASP Specialty Series) Title.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Hawaii, Maui, Stephanie Gilmore

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, took her second consecutive ASP Women's World Title today with an emphatic win in the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, ripping through the three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) waves at Sunset Point to defeat fellow finalists Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), 22, and Nicola Atherton (AUS), 22.

Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach turned out to be the most decisive event of year's tour, seeing shock eliminations on its final day before Gilmore soared to victory to claim the 2008 ASP Women?s World Title.

The next and final stop on the 2008 ASP Women?s World Tour will be event 8, the Billabong Pro Maui at Honolua Bay from December 8 ? 20, 2008.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Stephanie Gilmore, women's, World Champion

The Australian Gold Coast is the first stop for the men and women on the respective 2008 Association of Surf Professionals (ASP) world tours.
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be running in conjunction, with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast starting its waiting period this Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008.

Reigning men's ASP World Champion and defending Quiksilver Pro Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), is ready again to do battle with 44 of the best surfers in the world and on the Women's Dream Tour, reigning ASP Women?s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) is equally focussed as she takes on 16 of the best female surfers, beginning in her home waves.

Both the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be webcast LIVE and Beyond Boarders will publish regular tour reports and pictures. Subscribe to Beyond Boarders now (see bottom of page) and get free email alerts each time a new post is published.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Australia, Mick Fanning, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Stephanie Gilmore

The title race was not resolved until the final event of the tour but Rookie Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) claimed the 2007 ASP Women's World Tour, as other contenders for the title fell in the third round of the 2007 Billabong Pro Maui. She then went on to celebrate her victory by claiming the Billabong Pro Maui Championship, defeating defending champion Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS). Her win, in small one metre waves at Honolua Bay, marks her fourth win of the 2007 season.

The final ratings on the 2007 ASP Women's World Tour are:

1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)


2. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)


3. Silvana Lima (BRA)


4. Samantha Cornish (AUS)


5. Layne Beachley (AUS)


6. Amee Donohoe (AUS)


7. Chelsea Hedges (AUS)


8. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)


9. Rebecca Woods (AUS)


10. Melanie Bartels (HAW)


11. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)


12. Megan Abubo (HAW)


13. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)


14. Karina Petroni (USA)


15. Serena Brooke (AUS)


16. Nicola Atherton (AUS)

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, champion, Hawaii, Maui, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing, women's

The girls are battling it out at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, for the Roxy Pro Hawaii, stop No. 7 of 8 on the ASP Women's World Tour and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) can clinch the 2007 world title if she wins the event while Silvana Lima (BRA) finishes 3rd or lower.

Only seven heats of surfing, including the final, remain for the Roxy Pro Hawaii, and the next call on surf status will be made tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 29, 2007. It therefore looks as if the circus could be packing up tomorrow afternoon and Steph Gilmore could be crowned world champion.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Hawaii, Roxy Pro Hawaii, Silvana Lima, Stephanie Gilmore, women's

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