Ladies first… The Women's World Tour looks like it will have its
most exciting, most sexy and most hard-fought season to date, with
a best-ever group of talent all challenging for the Roxy Pro title
at Snapper Rocks.
Reigning world champion Carissa Moore looked strong in the early
heats, but crashed out in the quarter-finals, at the hands of an
in-form Tyler Wright. Tyler would lose out in the semi-finals to
fellow Australia Laura Enever, who would in turn lose out to
overall champion and 4-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the
final.
"To be carried up the beach with your friends underneath you with
thousands of people around has got to be one of the best feelings
in the world," Gilmore said. "It took me back to 2005 when I won
here as a grom. Last year went so quickly and it felt like I didn't
even exist on the rankings and that fire wasn't really there. This
year it's so good to have that back! My cheeks are so sore from
smiling already."
Steph is already a three-time winner at Bells (2007, '08 and '10)
and has shot to overall favourite for this year's event.
The ASP Men's World Tour rankings also have a familiar name at the
top. No, it is not Kelly Slater, but yes, it is Taj Burrow… The
2007 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Champion will come back to Torquay
with a fire in his belly after taking out the Quiksilver Pro this
month. Taj looked fit, fast and flat-out ready to win the ASP World
Title, which has eluded him during his stellar career.
"I've been going for the ASP World Title for a while now," Burrow
said. "I don't know what to say. I just want to surf my best and
hope that the rest falls into place. I love Bells. I love throwing
on a full wetsuit and doing some big arcs in the Bells Bowl."Taj
has had a great career at Bells and will definitely be a favourite
this Easter. Two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning, two-time Rip
Curl Pro winner Joel Parkinson, rising stars Owen Wright, Gabriel
Medina and Julian Wilson, and of course 11-time ASP World Champion
Kelly Slater are also must-watch surfers during the
event.
Hells Bells...