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Swatch Girls Pro China 2012 hosted by Wanning
ASP Women’s Longboard World Championship
21-25 November 2012, Wanning, Hainan Island, China
Swatch Girls Pro China 2012
Kelia Moniz is the new ASP Women’s Longboard World Champion after winning the Swatch Girls Pro China 2012 hosted by Wanning in 2-3ft (shoulder high) surf.
In a repeat of last year’s final, Kelia faced off against Australia’s Chelsea Williams, the defending event champion, and promptly set about a commanding display of smooth, radical longboard surfing, mixing rail-to-rail lines and classic hang-ten moves to leave Chelsea needing a combination of scores (16.05 vs. 9.5).
“I can’t believe how awesome it feels, I’m so thrilled to get the win. It’s been tough with small waves this week but we were all super stoked to see the surf today on the last day of the event. Chelsea has been surfing really well all week, I knew I’d need to surf my best to beat her and I got lucky finding some really nice waves. Wow, I’m the World Champion… that’s awesome!”
Swatch Girls Pro China 2012
Kelia won the first heat of the first round on day 1 of competition and has been the outstanding surfer in every round since, showing finesse in all conditions, and thus was thoroughly deserving of her win, as Chelsea sportingly concurred.
With the final day of the waiting period not offering much swell at the main event site, organizers decided to go mobile and run at a spot 1 km south of Riyuewan, a reef picking up the best of the new 2-3ft (shoulder high) east swell. The decision was instantly vindicated with excellent scores being posted right through the rounds up to the final. The semis saw Summer Romero narrowly lose out to Kelia in a tight heat, while Chelsea had made short work of Karina Rozunko, the 16-year-old American making her debut in ASP competition in their semi.
Earlier, the quarters were a cosmopolitan affair, with surfers from five regions: Hawaii, USA, Australia, France and Japan represented. The equal fifth Japan’s Hiroka Yoshikawa earned for making the quarters represents Japan’s best ever finish in ASP World Title rankings, whilst China’s Wenling Chou’s equal thirteenth earlier in the week was also a new first in a great event for Far East surfing.
Stay tuned for more: www.swatchgirlspro.com
Source: Press release Swatch International
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