Billabong Pro Maui Postponed Tuesday; Swell on the Horizon

Although a small pulse of swell was projected to push surf in the 1-metre range at Honolua Bay yesterday, event organizers at the Billabong Pro Maui opted to postpone competition until today in hopes of a better swell on the horizon.

The final event of the 2007 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Billabong Pro Maui has only one full day of competition left to run in order to complete the event, and with the ASP Women’s World Title as well as the Vans Triple Crown Award on the line at Honolua Bay, event organizers have chosen to wait until more contestable conditions are on offer…

“We were hoping that the swell would fill in around midday today so we could run through the afternoon, but it doesn’t look like it will be arriving soon enough,” Billabong Pro Maui Contest Director Dino Andino (USA) said yesterday. “Obviously there is a lot on the line with the ASP Women’s World Title as well as the Vans Triple Crown, so with only one full day left to run, we want to send the girls out in the best possible conditions. We’ll be back tomorrow morning at 7am.”

The Billabong Pro Maui has completed the opening two rounds of competition so far, and remaining ASP Women’s World Title contenders Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Sofia Mulanovich (PER) and Silvana Lima (BRA) have all shown they are hungry for the crown, convincingly advancing their way into Round 3. The stakes are sure to be high when the ladies hit the water once again.

In addition to the hunt for the ASP Women’s World Title, the Vans Triple Crown is coming to a close at Honolua Bay, with frontrunners Mulanovich and Megan Abubo (HAW) tied for the lead. Despite a horrific abdominal injurt sustained at Sunset Beach, Abubo rallied in her elimination Round 2 heat on Sunday to net the day’s high single wave score of a 9.25 out of a possible 10.

All Billabong Pro Maui action will be webcast LIVE via the Billabong and ASP websites.

Billabong Pro Maui Match-Ups

Heat 1: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)

Heat 2: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)

Heat 3: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)

Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Keala Kennelly (HAW)

Heat 5: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Rochelle Ballard (HAW)

Heat 6: Amee Donohoe (AUS) vs. Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)

Heat 7: Samatha Cornish (AUS) vs. Megan Abubo (HAW)

Heat 8: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)