Kaua'i surfer Kennelly in world title chase
Advertiser Staff
Kaua'i's Keala Kennelly remained in contention for the women's world championship, but another Kaua'i surfer now stands in her way.
ASPtostee photo
Kennelly advanced to the quarterfinals of the Billabong Pro Maui yesterday, but so did fellow Kaua'i surfer Rochelle Ballard. Only one of them will advance to the semifinals.
Kaua'i's Rochelle Ballard recorded the top scores on the opening day of the Billabong Pro Maui at Honolua Bay yesterday. She will meet fellow Kaua'i surfer Keala Kennelly in the quarterfinals.
Kennelly and Ballard will face each other in the one-on-one quarterfinals. Kennelly needs to win the contest to clinch her first world title.
"I'm not putting any pressure on myself, so we'll see what happens," said Kennelly, 24. "Anything is possible."
The first three rounds of the contest were completed yesterday in clean wave faces of 4 to 8 feet at Honolua Bay.
Kennelly advanced through three heats, including a victory over Australian Neridah Falconer in the third round. Falconer was the two-time defending champion of the contest, and also held the lead in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing for women.
"I was nervous going into it just knowing how good Neridah is out here," said Kennelly, who is also in contention for the Triple Crown title.
Her path to the world title was cleared when four-time defending world champion Layne Beachley of Australia was upset in the third round by wildcard entry Julia Christian of California.
Christian, who won the Turtle Bay Resort Women's Pro last week, had to win a trials event just to earn a spot in the Billabong Pro Maui.
Beachley still has the lead in the chase for the 2002 world title, but she needs the other contenders to falter before the final in order for her to clinch a record fifth world championship.
Current No. 2 Melanie Redman-Carr needs to make the final to surpass Beachley in the standings; No. 3 Lynette MacKenzie and No. 4 Kennelly need to win the final.
"Honestly, I'm numb right now with shock and disappointment," Beachley said.
Ballard was the top surfer of the day, recording a two-wave total of 17.55 (out of 20) in her third-round victory over Australian Serena Brooke. On her best wave, Ballard had a double-barrel ride that received a near-perfect score of 9.8.
"I didn't think I was going to do it at first," she said. "I just tucked up into it, as it was a high-line barrel. Before I even had a chance to come out, the next one was setting up."
Waialua's Megan Abubo also remains in the competition. She advanced through the first two rounds, but the contest was halted before she could surf in her third-round heat.
The Billabong Pro Maui is the final contest on the 2002 World Championship Tour for women. It is also the final contest in the Triple Crown series. One more day of competition is required to determine the various champions.
The men's Xbox Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters did not run heats yesterday. For status of the events, call 596-7873 or visit triplecrownofsurfing.com.
