ISLE FILE
Kaua'i's Kennelly wins surf meet
Advertiser Staff
Kaua'i surfer Keala Kennelly won the Roxy Pro Fiji on Sunday, and moved into a tie for the No. 1 spot on the women's World Championship Tour in the process.
The final day of competition was completed in 4- to 5-foot waves at Cloudbreak, Tavarua, Fiji.
Kennelly defeated South Africa's Heather Clark in the one-on-one final. Conditions deteriorated during the final heat, but Kennelly's two-wave total of 11.83 was more than enough to top Clark's 6.1
Kennelly had to win four heats during the day to earn the $10,600 first prize. Earlier in the day, she beat Samantha Cornish in round three, Caroline Sarran in the quarterfinals, and then Sofia Mulanovich in the semifinals.
Through two of six events on the women's world tour, Kennelly has 1,560 points. She is tied with Australian Layne Beachley — the five-time defending world champ — for the No. 1 spot.
"I'm in a way better position than I was at this time last year," said Kennelly, 24. "After being on the tour for six years, I'm definitely thinking about the world title now."
Rochelle Ballard of Kaua'i and Megan Abubo of Waialua were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
The next women's contest is the Billabong Pro Teahupoo at Tahiti, May 6-18.
SAILING
• UH women reach nationals: The University of Hawai'i women's A and B division teams combined for 82 points and placed in the top two in 12 of 14 races last weekend to win the 2003 Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association Women's Championship in Palo Alto, Calif.
Hawai'i's A team scored 56 points, and its B team had 26 for the lowest score in the seven-team field. The win puts the Rainbow Wahine into this weekend's national championships at Long Beach, Calif.
GOLF
• UH men second in WAC: The University of Hawai'i men's team was in second place at 2-over-par 290 yesterday after the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Championships in Houston.
Defending champion Tulsa leads with 289. Texas-El Paso, Nevada and Fresno State are tied for third at 292.
Tulsa's David Inglis leads with 4-under 68. Hawai'i's Justin Kim (70) is second and teammate James Beston (71) is third. Warrior Matt Kodama (72) is tied for seventh.
Play continues today and tomorrow.
