Gotcha Pro Tahiti presented by Globe Featuring Gallaz Women¦s Pro May 9-18

Hawaii Now Holds Four out of Five Event Titles for 2000

Teahupoo, Tahiti – (Thursday, May 11, 2000) — Kauaii¦s Keala Kennelly added to a brilliant season of professional surfing for Hawaii, winning the Tahitian Gallaz Women¦s Pro late today and upholding her reputation as being the woman to beat at Teahupoo. Today¦s victory was only the second in Kennelly’s 3-year career, her first also being at Teahupoo back in 1998 when the event was a lesser rated World Qualifying Series meet.

Kennelly’ win today makes for a total of four Hawaiian world tour victories this season out of a possible five (Sunny Garcia won back-to-back men’ events in Australia last month, and Megan Abubo won the second of the two Australian events). Her win also shot her to equal second on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour (WCT) ratings, alongside fellow Hawaiian Megan Abubo. World champion Layne Beachley (Australia) still sits at number one, 230 points ahead of Kennelly and Abubo.

Despite injuring herself on her last wave during the semi-finals, Kennelly, 21, persevered to claim her second title at Teahupoo against Australian Serena Brooke (her first win was at Teahupoo in 1998 when the event was a World Qualifying Series (WQS) event).

Surfing through four different rounds today in conditions ranging from four foot perfection, to the climax in moderately wind-effected 3 foot waves, Kennelly posted the two highest total heat scores of the event (the highest being 25.65 out of a possible 30-points). She also scored six of the top seven single scoring rides, including two perfect 10s. Along the way, however, she also suffered some of the heaviest wipeouts and considerably injured her right hip and leg.

‘The final was really anti-climatic, I literally didn’t have a leg to stand on and I was trying to do whatever I could to win,’ explained an exuberant Kennelly, on the boat ride back from the lineup after the final.

‘I tried so hard to get there and nothing was going to stop me. If I didn’t win I would have been so disappointed, but I mean, honestly, coming here is like winning already. The trophy and the money is just a bonus, I just love it here. Every time I go away from here I just want to come back, and when I get here I don’t want to leave. Eventually I’ll have to buy a house here (laughs).’

Talking about the injury she suffered at the end of the semi-final, Kennelly added: ‘I was doing alright and then I just took a really late drop and did the splits and then the lip landed on my head and I thought my leg was broken. Luckily I could stand on it long enough to win the final. I couldn’t even turn in the final, I was just trying to stand there and get a barreled if I could. It was really hard and I was in a lot of pain.’

Equal third after semi-final losses were defending event champion Kate Skarratt (Australia) and South Africa’s Heather Clarke. World champion Layne Beachley (Australia) finished in equal fifth place along with Hawaiian Rochelle Ballard. Megan Abubo (Hawaii) who shared the world number one rating with Beachley coming into the event, lost in the round prior to the quarter finals to slip to equal second in the world with Kennelly and behind Beachley.

Official Results of the Gallaz Women’s Pro held at Teahupoo

1st K. Kennelly (Haw) – US$6,000
2nd S. Brooke (Aus) – US$3,000
=3rd K. Skarratt (Aus); H. Clark (SAfr) – US$2,100
=5th L. Beachley (Aus); R. Ballard (Haw); M. Redman (Aus); L. Andersen
(USA) – US$1,700

Further Information Contact:
In Hawaii:
Jodi Young, OCEAN PROMOTION
Tel: (808) 337-2323

In Tahiti:
Jesse Faen, ASP Int’l. Media Director: In Tahiti # (68)-9-574-786
jesse@aspworldtour.com

Or visit us live at: www.bluetorch.com or www.asplive.com

Complimentary digital images available to all newspapers, websites, and magazines. Contact Pierre Tostee / ASP World Tour Photographer: pierre@tostee.com