Roxy Pro Gold Coast update

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The 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour season is just days from commencing with the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile scheduled from February 28 through March 11, 2009.

Event No. 1 of 8 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will see the return of such high-profile athletes as reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, defending Roxy Pro Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, among others, but the new faces this season have been generating a bit of buzz themselves.

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, 2008 ASP WQS No. 1 finisher, made history last season, wrapping up her Dream Tour qualification well before the halfway mark. Now a full-fledged ASP Women’s World Tour campaigner, Fitzgibbons enters into the Roxy Pro Gold Coast as the No. 1 rookie.

Despite unprecedented success at the ASP WQS level, Fitzgibbons remains guarded about her transitional efforts to the elite level of competition, but the prodigious natural-footer is sure to make an impression in the coming weeks.

Firzgibbons will face Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, and Megan Abubo (HAW), 31, in Round 1 of competition when the Roxy Pro Gold Coast commences.

Chelsea Hedges (AUS), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion, has returned this season as the ASP wildcard, following a one-year sabbatical where she had daughter Meika. Hedges was awarded the ASP Wildcard for 2009 and will begin her comeback on the ASP Women’s World Tour at home on the Gold Coast for the Roxy Pro.

Since stepping away from the ASP Women’s World Tour in 2007, Hedges has been absent for some major transitions on the Dream Tour: the acquisition of a second consecutive ASP Women’s World Title by Stephanie Gilmore, the semi-retirement of former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, etc.

Hedges will face defending Roxy Pro Gold Coast Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, and 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Coco Ho (HAW), 18, in Round 1 when competition commences.

The Roxy Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG Mobile boasts a mobile venue, and while the primary site will be the world-famous Snapper Rocks, the event will be able to utilize the nearby breaks of Duranbah, Greenmount, Kirra, Burleigh Heads and as far north as Stradbroke Island should conditions call for it.