Chelsea Williams (AUS), 2011 Swatch Girls Pro Champion, 2012 runner-up is into the Quarterfinals. Pic Poullenot
WANNING, Hainan Island, China (Thursday, November 21, 2013) – The Swatch Girls Pro China hosted by Wanning ran another big day of surfing completing Rounds 3, 4 and 5, culling the field to just eight Quarterfinalists. The swell held in, producing 3 to 4 foot waves and the world’s best female longboarders relished in the clean conditions. It’s highly likely that the ASP Women’s World Longboard Champion will be crowned on the sands of Riyue Bay tomorrow afternoon.
Chelsea Williams (AUS) jumped into the Quarterfinals after a dominant display of surfing at the Swatch Girls Pro today. Williams has posted two of the top three waves scores of the event and goes into the final day as the form surfer, ripping powerful turns and performing noserides in critical sections of the wave.
“I feel like I haven’t surfed my best yet, so if the conditions keep up I hope I can keep going,” Williams said. “I couldn’t hear the scores in that heat, but I was pretty sure that I needed another one, so I got that one at the end and scored an 8.25 (out of a possible 10). It’s always good to get a high score, but you can’t take it with you into the next round so you just have to reset and keep going.”
Kelia Moniz (HAW), reigning ASP Women’s World Longboard Champion survived two extremely close heats today, the first against New Zealand’s Wini Paul (NZL) in Round 3, taking the heat win by a mere 0.15. Moniz then went on to win her Round 4 bout thanks to a last minute wave that saw her jump from 2nd to 1st and advance into the Quarterfinals where she will take on Jennifer Smith (USA).
“That was my goal for the day to win that Round 4 heat and go straight into the Quarterfinals,” Moniz said. “The girls are surfing really good, it was so close all the way until the last wave of the heat. I need to start surfing with a little more confidence. The final day of the event tomorrow should be fun, with some nice waves and a lot of good surfing.”
Karina Rozunko (USA), took wins in Round 3 and 4 today, earning the right to skip Round 5 and advance directly into the Quarterfinals. Rozunko read the tricky conditions better than her opponents Miku Uemura (HAW), Jennifer Smith (USA), and executed some graceful noserides and turns. If she wins her Quarterfinal against Miku Uemura (HAW) she will equal her result from last year’s event.
“I just went out there and did my best,” Rozunko said. “I came here with a sprained ankle so I didn’t put any expectations on myself, so I’m really happy to be into the Quarterfinals. I’ve just been trying to get to the nose because that’s what the judges have been scoring high, and it worked. I don’t know what to expect for tomorrow, all the girls here are great surfers, so all I can do is go out and do my best.”
Summer Romero (USA), who finished equal 3rd at last year’s event has once again proven to be one of the form surfers at the Swatch Girls Pro China, advancing into tomorrow’s Quarterfinals after winning her Round 4 heat over Justine Dupont (FRA), Chloe Calmon (BRA).
“It’s such an advantage to skip Round 5 and just relax and prepare for tomorrow,” Romero said. “I’m so happy to be in the Quarterfinals, that was my goal for this event so it’s all uphill from here. It’s so nice to have waves this year, you can get overhead set waves, compared to over-ankle from last year. It’s super important to catch the set waves and do some long nose rides, maybe throw a hang 10 in there too.”
Chloe Calmon (BRA) defeated Hawaiian surfer Crystal Dzigas (HAW) in Round 5 to advance into the Quarterfinals. Calmon has developed an intimate knowledge of the surf here at Riyue Bay after coming three weeks early to prepare, in the hopes of taking hope the coveted ASP Women’s World Longboard Title.
“I came here three weeks early to prepare for this event and it’s paying off,” Calmon said. “I love this wave, it’s a perfect left-hander and I’ve gotten to know how it works. I finished 9th at this event last year, and now I’m into the Quarterfinals it’s already better, but it’s not enough I want to go further.”
Justine Dupont (FRA), who finished 5th at last year’s event, won the final heat of the day to seal a Quarterfinal berth against Summer Romero (USA). Dupont surfed a smart heat sneaking a wave under Tory Gilkerson’s (USA) priority and notched the highest wave score of the heat to take the win.
UPCOMING SWATCH GIRLS PRO CHINA QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS: QF 1: Karina Rozunko (USA) vs. Miku Uemura (HAW) QF 2: Kelia Moniz (HAW) vs. Jennifer Smith (USA) QF 3: Chelsea Williams (AUS) vs. Chloe Calmon (BRA) QF 4: Summer Romero (USA) vs. Justine Dupont (FRA)
SWATCH GIRLS PRO CHINA ROUND 5 RESULTS: HEAT 1: 1ST Miku Uemura (HAW), 2ND Georgia Young (AUS) HEAT 2: 1ST 2ND Jennifer Smith (USA), 2ND Lindsay Steinriede (USA) HEAT 3: 1ST Chloe Calmon (BRA), 2ND Crystal Dzigas (HAW) HEAT 4: 1ST Justine Dupont (FRA), Tory Gilkerson (USA)
SWATCH GIRLS PRO CHINA ROUND 4 RESULTS: HEAT 1: 1ST Karina Rozunko (USA), 2ND Miku Uemura (HAW), 3RD Jennifer Smith (USA) HEAT 2: 1ST Kelia Moniz (HAW), 2ND Lindsay Steinriede (USA), 3RD Georgia Young (AUS) HEAT 3: 1ST Chelsea Williams (AUS), 2ND Crystal Dzigas (HAW), 3RD Tory Gilkerson (USA) HEAT 4: 1ST Summer Romero (USA), 2ND Justine Dupont (FRA), 3RD Chloe Calmon (BRA)
