PLUS! REDMAN-CARR WITHDRAWS FROM 2007 ASP WORLD TOUR DUE TO PREGNANCY

Just two heats were completed during the NAB Beachley Classic, at Sydney’s Manly Beach this morning, which saw four girls advance into Round 3 during Stop No. 5 of 8 on the ASP Women’s World Tour.

Current World No. 7 Amee Donohoe (AUS) highlighted the morning’s action with a committed performance that earned her excellent 8.50 and 7.25 (out of a possible 10.00) point rides, to advance directly into Round 3.

“It was the first time I felt in rhythm with ocean all week, so I am stoked,” Donohoe said, after her win. “I was disappointed to lose out in Round 1 but I couldn’t let it get to me. There’s a lot at stake at this event because of the extra points and luckily it went my way.” Donohoe defeated World No. 14 Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) and World No. 6 Rebecca Woods (AUS) who were penalised with an interference call on the first wave of the heat.

“I was actually on the outside and I could see them both paddling for that wave,” Donohoe explained. “It looked like neither surfer was going to pull back and I wasn’t sure who would get the interference. They ended up being given a double and they weren’t too happy. It happens sometimes. Bad way to go out.”

Donohoe will meet Bevilacqua again in Round 3. Caroline Sarran (FRA) took a deserved Round 2 victory over World No. 14 Megan Abubo (HAW) and World No. 9 Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS), assuming immediate control of the heat to edge out her competitors with a 6.50 and a 7.25.

“I’m really happy,” Sarran said. “I’ve had a hard time this year drawing Layne (Beachley) or Chelsea (Hedges) almost every heat. I haven’t scored well at many of the events so it’s great to finally get good scores. I had fun out there.”

Sarran advanced into Round 3 where she will meet 2005 ASP World Champion Chelsea Hedges (AUS) when the competition resumes. Advancing in second place were Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) who meets Donohoe and Megan Abubo (HAW) who will take on Jessi Miley Dyer (AUS), in Round 3. Rebecca Woods (AUS) and Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) were eliminated from the event in equal 17th place.

While this result marked Woods’s worst of 2007, it was possibly the last for former ASP World No. 2 Redman-Carr’s. The Western Australian surfer has withdrawn from the remaining three events of this year’s ASP Women’s World Tour, due to being in the early stages of pregnancy.

Carr, who has spent the majority of her adult life as one of the World’s Top 17 surfers, including holding the World No. 1 spot at this event last year, is looking forward to the new challenges presented by motherhood. “It’s very exciting, something I’ve never experienced before,” Redman-Carr said. “I’m pretty nervous but I am looking forward to it.”

Visibly disappointed not to have advanced through Round 2, Redman-Carr admitted to feeling out-of-sorts in the water. “I feel a little slow and heavy and it’s difficult with the weight distribution,” Redman- Carr said. “It is sort of a novelty and quite a nice thing to be able to tell my child one day. I would have liked to have made it through at least one more round, especially since this event could be my last.”

7X ASP World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS), one of the few current ASP Women’s World Tour campaigners to have competed extensively against Redman- Carr over the years, will feel the absence of one of her fiercest rivals at the next few events.

“Mel’s had such an illustrious career,” Beachley said. “She’s a real tenacious and formidable competitor on the circuit and could out-paddle, out-surf and out-strategize the best of them on tour. We are going to miss her but I am really excited for her to have a child and start a family.”

Only two heats were completed today and with similar conditions expected tomorrow, organisers are confident of completing Round 3 before the weekend. The NAB Beachley Classic runs from 9- 14 October, 2007 and holds a prize money purse of US$ 100 000 as well as 20% bonus ASP ratings points. The event is produced by Layne Beachley in collaboration with National Australia Bank and the Association of Surfing Professionals.

NAB Beachley Classic Round 3 Match-ups:

Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs Rosy Hodge (ZAF)

Heat 2: Samantha Cornish (AUS) vs Jacqueline Silva (BRA)

Heat 3: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) vs Megan Abubo (HAW)

Heat 4: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs Leilani Gryde (HAW)

Heat 6: Amee Donohoe (AUS) vs Claire Bevilaqua (AUS)

Heat 7: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs Melanie Bartels (HAW)

Heat 8: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs Caroline Sarran (FAR)

NAB Beachley Classic Round 2 Results:

Heat 1: Caroline Sarran (FRA)15.75; Megan Abubo (HAW)13.65; Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)

Heat 2: Amee Donohoe (AUS) 15.75; Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)8.82 Rebecca Woods (AUS)7.83

NAB Beachley Classic Round 1 Results:

Heat 1: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 12.50; Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 11.45 Rebecca Woods (AUS) 10.75

Heat 2: Roseanne Hodge (ZAF) 13.30; Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.25; Amee Donohoe (AUS) 11.70

Heat 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.65; Layne Beachley (AUS) 11.00; Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 10.15

Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER)15.00;Leilani Gryde (Haw)8.45; Megan Abubo (HAW)6.75

Heat 5: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)10.85; Chelsea Hedges (AUS)9.40; Caroline Sarran (FRA)7.50

Heat 6: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.10;Melanie Bartels (HAW)13.10; Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)6.10