Here she comes - event wildcard Stephanie Gilmore

SURF: Glassy and pretty inconsistent-but perfect, lined up racetracks on the sets.
EVENTS HELD: Rounds One and Two
NATURE'S CALL: Bigger and even more machine-like rights tomorrow.
PREDICTED: Don't underestimate the 'Bu. (Or Stephanie Gilmore.)

Waiting games can be frustrating - especially when mainland America's only Women's WCT event, the Rip Curl Malibu Pro, comes to town. After waiting all week for any sign of swell, waiting part of the morning for the tide to go out, and waiting most of the day for the fog to clear, we finally saw the Bu turn on from Third Point through to the pier. Who would Dora love? Off the bat Serena Brooke started with one of the highest score of the day in a heat that would go down as the longest in ASP history since the judges couldn't see through the fog into the lineup. Utter confusion spread along the beach and among her competitors in the water while she waited for word to paddle back out. Lucky for her, they counted the wave despite the hiatus and she backed it right up linking yet another one from the point all the way through to the sand.

The 'Bu may not be quite as fast and hollow as the Superbank, but Serena wasn't the only Gold Coaster all over it today. Chelsea Georgeson dominated her heat easily (despite the lull that plagued it) by comboing her competitors and Stephanie Gilmore was by far the act of the day. Surely you saw the barrage of headlines after she won at Snapper, but believe the hype. Yeah, she was at her home break, but she does surf like Parko. No joke. She had Martin Potter-who was intensely coaching Sofia all day-claiming that she was the best 17-year-old he'd ever seen, even before she took that first Roxy Pro title. This will count in as her fourth wildcard of the year (out of five) and she battled Julia Christian for it, but was the obvious winner. Her style looks utterly seamless and she didn't show a hint of trouble maintaining her speed-looking ultra relaxed-all the way through when most of the competitors today were either choosing the wrong waves or simply getting stuck behind the Kiddie Bowl section.

As the swell increases for tomorrow's finale, we should see the Gold Coast girls continue to shine.

Veteran Megan Abubo advanced directly to Round 3

ROUND 1 RESULTS:
(1st & 2nd advance to Rnd 3; 3rd goes to Rnd 2)

Heat # 1: 1st - Serena Brooke, 2nd - Megan Abubo, 3rd - Jacqueline Silva
Heat # 2: 1st - Heather Clark, 2nd - Rebecca Woods, 3rd - Layne Beachley
Heat # 3: 1st - Stephanie Gilmore, 2nd - Sofia Mulanovich, 3rd - Trudy Todd
Heat # 4: 1st - Chelsea Georgeson, 2nd - Melanie Bartels, 3rd - Laurina McGrath
Heat # 5: 1st - Samantha Cornish, 2nd - MariaTita Tavares, 3rd - Rochelle Ballard
Heat # 6: 1st - Melanie Redman-Car, 2nd - Claire Bevilacqua, 3rd - Keala Kennelly

ROUND 2 RESULTS:

Heat # 1: 1st - Jacqueline Silva, 2nd - Trudy Todd, 3rd - Rochelle Ballard
Heat # 2: 2nd Layne Beachley, 2nd - Keala Kennelly, 3rd - Laurina McGrath

'05 Rip Curl Malibu Pro Photo Gallery Photos from the 2005 womens WCT event held at Malibu October 1 - 9		The Tinkler Tail: Funny Name, Innovative Idea SURFING sits down for a chat with Bob Tinkler to talk about his customizable, molded "Flex Tail" surfboard design...		November 2005: Camp Hobgood - Making The Grade Ceej and Damo turn in their report cards on surfing's future wunderkids...

 

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		THE BEST WAVES! THE BEST SURFERS! THE BEST PHOTOS! AND NOW THE BEST DEAL: SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND GET 1 YEAR OF SURFING MAGAZINE FOR ONLY $12.00! Take advantage of this special offer-act now! GIVE A GIFT
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