What: Roxy Pro Hawaii, ASP Women’s World Tour Event #7
Where: Sunset Beach, Oahu Hawaii
When: 24 November – 6 December 2008
Roxy is pleased to present the 14th Annual Roxy Pro Hawaii at Sunset Beach. Set to kick off on Oahu’s North Shore from November 24th until December 6th, it promises to be the biggest, heaviest wave contest on the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) Women’s World Tour.
In addition to being the seventh stop of the ASP Tour, the event is also the second jewel in the Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing. The contest, which will be broadcast live on the web from roxy.com, will take place over two days within the 12-day holding period.
The Roxy Pro Hawaii is the longest running women’s professional shortboard competition in Hawaii and will once again play a crucial part in deciding the 2008 Women’s World Tour Champion. Coming into the event, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) holds a small lead in the ratings over Roxy team-rider Sofia Mulanovich (Peru), the defending Roxy Pro Hawaii and 2005 Women’s World Tour Champion.
With the ratings so close and the lead changing hands multiple times throughout this year’s tour, the Roxy Pro Hawaii will play a critical role in determining the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour Champion.
“We are thrilled to be continuing the tradition of women’s big-wave surfing in Hawaii with the Roxy Pro Hawaii,” said Randy Hild, EVP of Global Marketing, Roxy. “Sunset Beach is a defining wave and proving ground for any surfer, male or female, and Roxy is proud to offer women the chance to leave their mark on this famed break.”
Sunset Beach is regarded as the most difficult wave in the world to surf well. It is a huge expanse of water with the primary take-off zone located more than 250 yards out to sea. Swells converge on that zone from a variety of directions that range from west, all the way to north-east. If a surfer doesn’t know her way around the lineup, surfing Sunset is akin to being lost at sea in a maelstrom.
The 2008 Roxy Pro Hawaii will feature the top 17 ranked women on the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) World Tour, as well as three wildcard entrants who will be determined in the Roxy Trials.
Roxy Team Rider, Sally Fitzgibbons will be among the contestants vying for the wildcards, with her spot already secured for the 2009 Tour, Fitzgibbons is looking to make an early impression at this year’s contest. 2007 Quiksilver ISA World Juniors Champion Laura Enever was also granted a trialist spot, along with Bruna Schmitz, Coco Ho, Carissa Moore and Lee Ann Curren.
The Roxy Pro Hawaii is the second in a series of two Roxy Pro events on the ASP Women’s World Tour schedule. The tour’s first event of the year the Roxy Pro Gold Coast (March) was won by Sofia Mulanovich, who hopes to lock down her second world title in Hawaii.
For more information on the Roxy Pro Hawaii and the full trials list please visit roxy.com.
