MANCORA, Peru (Monday, November 3, 2008) – The 2008 Movistar Classic Mancora Peru presented by Rip Curl got underway today in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at the primary venue of Mancora in Northern Peru.
Event No. 6 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl played host to some electrifying surfing today as the ASP Top 17 battle for requalification, event titles and the highly-covered ASP Women’s World Title.
Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, shined on the opening day of competition, netting the event high heat total of a 15.00 out of a possible 20 despite nursing an injured foot.
“I tore some ligaments in my foot in Sydney and have been keeping off it since,” Mulanovich said. “It feels fine when I surf on it, but I try to keep it iced when I’m not in the water. I think a big portion of the pain is mental and it feels good when I am surfing so I’m not worried about it.”
Mulanovich rampaged in her opening round heat before dispatching of wildcard Anali Gomez (PER), 22, in Round 3.
“It’s pretty tough out there,” Mulanovich said. “I was fortunate to get that first wave out there as there wasn’t much after that. Anali (Gomez) is an incredible surfer. She is from the same place that I am and she has so much potential. I knew she was capable of getting the scores, but things went my way out there.”
With her Quarterfinals berth, the Peruvian sensation is one step closer to victory in front of a passionate hometown crowd and one step closer to regaining the ASP Women’s World Title.
“It’s great – I love coming here and surfing in front of my family and friends,” Mulanovich said. “There is a lot of support here in Peru for surfing and I am excited to be in Mancora. I feel good about the ASP Women’s World Title. I am just taking it wave-by-wave and heat-by-heat and not getting too far ahead of myself. I had a good result in the last event in Sydney and I feel confident I can get a result here at home and maintain through Hawaii.”
Mulanovich will face Rebecca Woods (AUS), 23, in Quarterfinal 2 when competition resumes.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event champion in Mancora, edged out a close Round 3 victory over alternate Laurina McGrath (AUS), 25.
“Laurina (McGrath) is a really tough competitor and surfs really well on her backhand,” Gilmore said. “She started out with a pretty decent score and that put the pressure on, but I knew I had to be patient and hunt the solid scores and that worked out for me. It’s crazy that you can be competing for a world title and draw these really dangerous wildcards with nothing to lose, but that’s the way it works and I’m stoked to be through to the Quarterfinals.”
Falling to No. 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour following a disappointing equal 9th at the last event in Sydney, Gilmore is currently chasing Mulanovich, but is confident that her backhand surfing in Mancora could provide the result needed to put herself back in the hunt.
“I’ve got a bit of work ahead of me,” Gilmore said. “Sofia (Mulanovich) is pretty far ahead and she is surfing really well despite an injury. I feel good though and I’m confident that I’ll be able to pick up a result here. I won last year and I’m looking to repeat. It’s going to be tough though.”
Gilmore will face Jacqueline Silva (BRA), 29, in Quarterfinal 3 when Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl competition resumes.
Samantha Cornish (AUS), 28, current No. 6 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, tore through the challenging afternoon conditions, netting the day’s high single-wave score of a 9.00 out of a possible 10 (in addition to tying Mulanovich with a 15.00 out of a possible 20 heat total), defeating Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), XX, in Round 3.
“The conditions are pretty tough out there and I didn’t get the scores I had hoped for in my Round 1 heat,” Cornish said. “During the mid-day break, I asked the head judge Richie Porta what I could do to improve and I went out there this afternoon and did it. I found a pretty good little left and was able to really smack it a few times and I think that pushed me through.
Cornish will face former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion and last year’s event runner-up Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, in Quarterfinal 4 when competition resumes.
Karina Petroni (USA), 20, current No. 14 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour and Dream Tour rookie, scored a sensational upset today, defeating current ASP World No. 4 Amee Donohoe (AUS), 27, in Round 3 of the Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl.
“I think it’s the kittens,” Petroni said. “It must be karma. When I came through Piura airport last night, I found these two stray kittens and brought them here with me. Since then, I’ve been feeding them and they’ve been sleeping under my sink. So I don’t know, they must be lucky.”
The Quarterfinals berth marks Petroni’s best result of the year, and the young natural-footer is excited to continue the momentum.
“I just take things one day at a time so of course I’m happy to get a really good result,” Petroni said. “It’s been a bit of a rocky year for me, but I’m stoked to be in Peru, the waves are fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the event.”
Petroni will face Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, current ASP Women’s World No. X, in Quarterfinal 1 when competition resumes.
Event organizers will convene again tomorrow at 6am for a possible 6:30am start.
The Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl will be webcast LIVE viahttp://www.beachbyte.com.br/eventos/mancora08/
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres by Rip Curl Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 10.25, Amee Donohoe (AUS) 9.40, Nicola Atherton (AUS) 7.75
Heat 2: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 10.75, Serena Brooke (AUS) 6.40, Silvana Lima (BRA) 5.50
Heat 3: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 15.00, Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 9.80, Valeria Sole (PER) 5.30
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.40, Anali Gomez (PER) 8.75, Megan Abubo (HAW) 6.25
Heat 5: Julia De La Rosa Toro (PER) 11.50, Layne Beachley (AUS) 8.60, Laurina McGrath (AUS) 4.00
Heat 6: Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Samantha Cornish (AUS), Karina Petroni (USA)
Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres by Rip Curl Round 2 Results:
Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) 11.50, Nicola Atherton (AUS) 10.60, Valeria Sole (PER) 6.35
Heat 2: Karina Petroni (USA) 11.70, Laurina McGrath (AUS) 11.70, Megan Abubo (HAW) 10.15
Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres by Rip Curl Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.75 def. Nicola Atherton (AUS) 3.40
Heat 2: Karina Petroni (USA) 9.50 def. Amee Donohoe (AUS) 8.25
Heat 3: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 10.10 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 9.75
Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.00 def. Anali Gomez (PER) 8.35
Heat 5: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.25 def. Laurina McGrath (AUS) 10.80
Heat 6: Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 11.25 def. Julia De La Rosa Toro (PER) 10.75
Heat 7: Samantha Cornish (AUS) 15.00 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 7.25
Heat 8: Layne Beachley (AUS) def. Serena Brooke (AUS)
Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres by Rip Curl Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
QF 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Karina Petroni (USA)
QF 2: Rebecca Woods (AUS) vs. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
QF 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
QF 4: Samantha Cornish (AUS) vs. Layne Beachley (AUS)
