Beachley Classic Day 1 Powers Through Clean Conditions at Freshwater

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, was relegated to the elimination Round 2 today for the first time all season. The young Australian advanced through to Round 3 this afternoon where she’ll face Oakley Trials winner Tyler Wright (AUS),14.

MANLY BEACH, Australia (Friday, October 10, 2008) – The 2008 Beachley Classic got underway this morning, completing Rounds 1 and 2 as well as the opening two heats of Round 3 at nearby Freshwater Beach in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves.

Stop No. 5 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Beachley Classic was privy to some dramatic upsets during Round 1, however top seeds prevailed eventually, advancing through to Round 3.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, was sent into the elimination Round 2 today at the hands of Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), 21, and Oakley Trials winner Tyler Wright (AUS), 14, this morning, but the champ rebounded in her second heat of the day, taking the win to advance through to Round 3 where she will once again draw the youngster Wright.

“That’s the first time I’ve been in Round 2 all year so that was interesting,” Gilmore said. “I didn’t have a warm-up this morning and I was perhaps a little too cruisey in my Round 1 heat. I was on some new equipment and didn’t get the momentum going that I needed. Stoked to get through Round 2 and I think I’ll be drawing Tyler (Wright) again in Round 3. Should be a good match-up.”

Julia de la Rosa Toro (AUS), 26, current No. 11 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, caused a major upset this afternoon, defeating current ASP World No. 4 Samantha Cornish (AUS), 27, in Round 3 of the Beachley Classic.

“This matches my best result of the season,” De La Rosa Toro said. “I haven’t made the Quarterfinals since the first event of the year so I’m excited to advance through and get a result. The Beachley Classic is a super important event for all of us, given the 20% increase in prize points. I’m sitting outside the bubble at the moment so I need a result here in Sydney.’

Cornish was in blistering form today, netting the event high single-wave score of a 9.80 out of a possible 10 in Round 1 before opening her Round 3 heat with an impressive 7.65. The Australian, however, was unable to stop a rampaging De La Rosa Toro from fighting back with excellent scores of her own.

“I knew Sam (Cornish) would be dangerous on the righthanders because she was surfing them so well in Round 1,” De La Rosa Toro said. “She started out with a really good one, but I was just patient and waited for the waves that offered a little more scoring potential and it paid off.”

De La Rosa Toro will face current ASP Women’s World No. 5 Amee Donohoe (AUS), 27, in Round 4 of the Beachley Classic.

Today’s action occurred today amidst the big announcement that Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 3 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, will retire at the end of the season. The announcement was made via a heavily-attended press conference at the main event site in Manly Beach.

Despite her media obligations, Beachley found time to advance through her Round 1 heat, showcasing the characteristic style and flair that has seen the iconic Australian advance to the top of the surfing world throughout the past two decades.

Beachley will face fellow veteran Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS), 33, in the final Round 3 heat when Beachley Classic action resumes.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am at the primary venue at Manly for a possible 7:30am start.

When Beachley Classic competition resumes, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), 22, will battle Jacqueline Silva (BRA), 29, in Heat 3 of Round 3.

The Beachley Classic will be webcast LIVE via www.aspworldtour.com and http://www.swellnet.com.au/beachleyclassic08/ 

BEACHLEY CLASSIC Round 1 Results:

Heat 1: Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) 15.65, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 11.75, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 10.40

Heat 2: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 16.30, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 10.45, Karina Petroni (USA) 9.20

Heat 3: Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 12.75, Tyler Wright (AUS) 8.60, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 8.50

Heat 4: Megan Abubo (HAW) 9.85, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 9.70, Serena Brooke (AUS) 8.85

Heat 5: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 14.25, Layne Beachley (AUS) 13.30, Nicola Atherton (AUS) 10.25

Heat 6: Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.75, Julia De La Rosa Toro (PER) 10.50, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 1.85

BEACHLEY CLASSIC Round 2 Results:

Heat 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.50, Karina Petroni (USA) 10.85, Serena Brooke (AUS) 7.35

Heat 2: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 10.00, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 8.50, Nicola Atherton (AUS) 6.00

BEACHLEY CLASSIC Round 3 Results:

Heat 1: Julia De La Rosa Toro (PER) 14.35 def. Samantha Cornish (AUS) 12.90

Heat 2: Amee Donohoe (AUS) 12.15 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 7.30

REMAINING BEACHLEY CLASSIC Round 3 Match-Ups:

Heat 3: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)

Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)

Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Karina Petroni (AUS)

Heat 6: Melanie Bartels (AUS) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)

Heat 7: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Megan Abubo (HAW)

Heat 8: Layne Beachley (AUS) vs. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)

7X ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley Announces Retirement

Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 3 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, officially announced her retirement from full-time competition today, effective at the end of the season.

MANLY BEACH, Australia (Friday, October 10, 2008) – Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 3 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour ratings, has officially announced her retirement from full-time competition, effective at the end of the year.

“I feel like now is a really good time, even though I am in my career best form, because I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl and to achieve the goals I set for myself in surfing, I have to give it my all and I’m not,” Beachley said. “I have to be honest with myself – I’m not commiting 100% time and energy and effort and focus into winning world titles. It doesn’t mean that I can’t win world titles, but my priorities are beginning to shift and my focus and my passion in business and charity work and my ambassador roles is beginning to have more appeal to me than competing for a living. I feel like I’ve achieved everything that I’ve wanted to and that it is good to go out while I’m still in top form.”

Beachley’s announcement comes as a surprise to the surfing community, given that the iconic natural-footer is surfing better than ever and currently challenging for the ASP Women’s World Title once again, sitting in No. 3 spot on the ratings at present.

“I feel like I’m surfing the best I have in my whole career,” Beachley said. “Nothing has really changed on tour except for my attitude. It’s my lack of commitment to winning. I base my choices off my experiences and my experience has told me that you have to be 100% focused and also love you’re doing. Even though I love what I do, I’m beginning to love what I’m doing out of the water more. My passion for competitive surfing has been diluted, and to achieve success and to win world titles, you can’t afford for it to be diluted too much. So now I’ve had to make a decision and I’m convinced I’m doing the right thing.’

The Sydney-sider is the most accomplished female surfer in the history of the sport, winning a record seven ASP Women’s World Titles (1998-2004, 2006), scalping 29 elite tour victories, and collecting countless accolades as one of surfing’s most recognizable figures.

“There’s been millions of highlights,” Beachley said. “I think every time that I stopped in my tracks and had to pinch myself and ask ‘is this real?’ have been the highlights of my life. Finding myself in the most random places on Earth, donning a bikini with a board under my arm and just staring out into the ocean in disbelief that I get to do that for a living. One of the greatest achievements was winning my first event back in 1993 and winning my first ASP Women’s World Title back in 1998. Those were both enormous acheivements for me.”

While stepping away from full-time professional surfing, Beachley hasn’t ruled out donning the jersey again should she receive an invite, and will continue to be a force both in and out of the surfing world with her clothing line, her numerous charities and other high-profile projects.

“I have my own brand, Beachley Athletics, which I really want to put a lot more time and energy and effort into,” Beachley said. “I don’t think it’s achieving the success it deserves because I can’t commit enough resources to it. I have my charity, Aim for the Stars. I’ve just begun promoting my book, Beneath the Waves. I will still stage the Beachley Classic. I love women’s surfing. I’m really passionate about it. Just because I’m walking away from the Tour doesn’t mean I’m walking away from women’s surfing. I’ll still be there as a supporter and a believer and also pursuing a career in the media.”

Beachley is competing this week at her signature event, the Beachley Classic, held in Manly, Australia.

“I feel like I’ve created a legacy and that’s something to be incredibly proud of,” Beachley said. “I’ve instilled hunger and passion into the future generations of female competitive surfing coming up through the ranks. I know Steph (Gilmore) looks at me and wants what I got. It was Lisa Andersen before me that gave me the motivation to become seven-times ASP Women’s World Champion. That kind of drive and dedication that it takes to be a champion is the legacy I think I am leaving behind and it’s something I’m very proud of.

For more information on Layne Beachley, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

TG’S FORECAST

Surf forecast issued Friday 10 October 2008:

Short and sweet forecast for Sydney’s weekend.

Saturday: small Nor East wind swell.

Sunday: ditto.

Water temp’s around 18.

Have a good one.

Weather from the Bureau:

Forecast for Friday 
Partly cloudy. Chance of isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms, more likely in the west. Light to moderate north to northeast winds, freshening on the coast in the afternoon. 
Precis: Chance afternoon shower/thunderstorm.

City:          Max:   22  Parramatta:  Max:   24
Terrey Hills:  Max:   21  Penrith:     Max:   25
Liverpool     Max:   24  Richmond:    Max:   24

UV Alert: 9:30 am to 3:50 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 7 [High]

Forecast for Saturday 
Mostly cloudy. Shower or two and the chance of an afternoon thunderstorm. Light northwest winds, becoming light to moderate northeast in the afternoon.

Precis: Shower or two, chance thunderstorm.

City:  Min:   14  Max:   24
West:  Min:    9  Max:   23

Sunday Fine. Partly cloudy.

City:  Min:   15  Max:   25
West:  Min:    9  Max:   27

Monday Fine. Cloud increasing.

City:  Min:   17  Max:   27
West:  Min:   13  Max:   29

Tuesday Showers, chance thunderstorm.

City:  Min:   16  Max:   21
West:  Min:   12  Max:   23

Wednesday Becoming fine.

City:  Min:   17  Max:   21
West:  Min:   13  Max:   23

Thursday Fine. 

City:  Min:   14  Max:   21
West:  Min:   11  Max:   23

Cronulla

Top day, great conditions at the beach, small surf, outgoing tide, offshore breeze, a bit of fun, wind to swing NE later.
WIND: WNW at 7kph. WATER TEMP: 18 degrees.
SWELL: SSE 1-2 metres at 9 seconds.
FORECAST: Becoming partly cloudy. Chance of isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms, more likely in the west. Light to moderate north to northeast winds, freshening on the coast in the afternoon.
MAX AIR TEMP TODAY: 21-25 degrees.
TIDES: HIGH: 16:39 LOW: 10:12
WINDSURFERS: OK for most riders today.
BOAT DIVING: Excellent sea conditions outside, vis around 10m+ on the TUGGERAH and Kelloe, 10-15m at Barons Hut, thanks to www.seatamerdive.com Sydney Scuba Diving Boat Charter and Ian Griffiths “Griffiti”.
SHORE DIVING: 7 metres vis at Oak Park. 5 metres at Shiprock.
WETSUIT REPAIRS at Aquasea, Sydney. 02.95404774 for wetty and wettie repairs contact Lesley for a quick turn around, zippers tears cuts and all alterations.
See ya – Leo at www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney – wetsuit wettie wetty repairs for surfing scuba windsurfers ring Aquasea on 02.95404774, go diving without tanks ie tankless diving using 12 v volt compressors also known as hookah dive diving with www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney NSW Ph: 02.95404774 led hid halogen torches and lights video boat transom lights for underwater lighting at night similar aqua cam camera and cameras see www.aquasea.com.au for stainless wire in your balustrades and for underwater lights and housings cameras. Mob: 0408.002315 SYDNEY NSW AUSTRALIA.
www.aquasea.com.au repairs alters wetsuits wettie wetty fin chops zipper repair broken zipper for surfing scuba triathalon kayak canoe board cover ring 02.95404774
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Only For Malcolm.

Only option today is to grab your mate called Mal and head for Bondi. All other options require a snorkel, goggles and flippers.

Rainy Days

It is onshores already and you guessed it there is still nothing happening.Conditions are messy and not worth getting out of bed unless you keen to improve your surf fitness..check out the realsurf fitness section.

C C

Fine, cool and dry on the Central Coast this Friday morning.  The swell is semi-smooth at 2 – 3 feet + from the east southeast.  There is light north northeast breeze set to strengthen later.  Low tide 1010 and high tide around 1640.  Local barometer 1022 hpa, 90% humidity, 9 degrees C.  Have a good weekend!