Beachley tops World again
Advertiser Staff
Australian surfers took the titles — again — on the final day of the Billabong Girls Pro Maui yesterday.
Advertiser library photo
Neridah Falconer won the contest for the second consecutive year. Layne Beachley placed fifth, but clinched her fourth consecutive women's world championship.
Layne Beachley places fifth in Maui contest.
The contest was completed in 3- to 4-foot waves at Honolua Bay, Maui.
"I had a good feeling about the event when I pulled up here the other day, just remembering the good times I've had here before," said Falconer, 29. "The secret here was obviously to wait for the sets and get the right positioning."
Falconer defeated fellow Australian Pauline Menczer in the one-on-one final, 20.6-10.6, to earn the $10,000 top prize.
Beachley, 29, was eliminated in the quarterfinals, and then refused to return to shore until her world title fate was decided. She clinched the championship when Kaua'i's Keala Kennelly, Australian Melanie Redman and South Africa's Heather Clark were eliminated in the three subsequent heats.
"What a traumatic day," said Beachley, who tied the women's record with her fourth world title. "When I lost my heat, I felt like the world had been pulled out from under me. I refused to come out of the water until it had all been decided. I feel like the luckiest, most loved world champion right now."
Kennelly was the top-placing Hawai'i surfer in the event, losing to Australian Kylie Webb, 19.15-18.85, in the quarterfinals.
Rochelle Ballard of Kaua'i was eliminated in the first round, but finished No. 4 on the final world tour rankings. Kennelly tied for No. 5, and Megan Abubo of Waialua finished No. 8.
Because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, three world tour contests were canceled this year. The final ratings were based on only three events, including yesterday's.
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Billabong Girls Pro Maui
Final results
1, Neridah Falconer (Australia), $10,000. 2, Pauline Menczer (Australia), $6,000. 3 (tie), Heather Clark (South Africa) and Kylie Webb (Australia), $4,000. 5 (tie), Layne Beachley (Australia), Melanie Redman (Australia), Serena Brooke (Australia) and Keala Kennelly (Hawai'i), $3,500.
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2001 World Championship Tour
Final standings
1, Layne Beachley (Australia), 1,760 points. 2, Melanie Redman (Australia), 1,730. 3, Neridah Falconer (Australia), 1,600. 4, Rochelle Ballard (Hawai'i), 1,570. 5 (tie), Serena Brooke (Australia), Heather Clark (South Africa) and Keala Kennelly (Hawai'i), 1,550. 8, Megan Abubo (Hawai'i), 1,450. 9, Maria Tita Tavares (Brazil), 1,390. 10, Pauline Menczer (Australia), 1,260.
