This must have been one of Courtney Conlogue’s favourite weekends of all times: she won her first ever ASP World Tour event at the prestigious Beachley Classics in Dee Why, Sydney at the age of 19!
In clean but challenging two-to-three foot (1.5 meter) waves, she succeeded over Malia Manuel, after the current tour leaders Steph Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons were eliminated in the quaterfinals.
“I’m speechless right now!” Courtney gleamed afterwards. “It’s been two years on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour where I kept losing in the Quarterfinals. Then today after winning my Quarterfinal I just tried to go and win the thing. Malia was surfing great in the Final, even though the waves were tricky. I’m really stoked to have won this event! I love Steph and Sally and to have them chair me up the beach was absolutely amazing!”
This event, that is run by seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley, has caused some interesting twists and turns in the race for the coveted ASP Women’s World Title, with the reigning champ Carissa Moore leaving the rounds before the quarterfinals and Steph and Sally following her swift. Which leaves only more excited for the next event, which is the Billabong Rio Pro in Brazil, coming up on May 9th, 2012.
FINAL RESULTS:
1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.17
2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 11.56
SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) 12.67 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 10.50
SF 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.33 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 10.10
QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.43 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 12.50
QF 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 13.00 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 11.47
QF 3: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 11.73 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 8.73
QF 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.97 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.34