Several days after the conclusion of the Women’s ASP World Tour season in Maui the roster for the 2009 Tour has been finalized.  While the surfers on tour will include 11 year’s worth of titles, there are also five rookies joining the vets — all teenagers.

Sally Fitzgibbons, 18, made history earlier this year by becoming the fastest surfer ever to qualify for the world tour in a season.  She will be joined by Brazil’s Bruna Schmitz, Kiwi Paige Hareb, Hawaiian Alana Blanchard (all 18) and Coco Ho, 17.

Aussies will dominate the tour, with Fitzgibbons and current world champ Stephanie Gilmore leading eight of their compatriots.

Seven-time world champ Layne Beachley remains on the tour, though she previously announced her retirement.  The move allows her to still compete at some events, though she will not participate in all events (there are eight total events).

The new season kicks off on Feb. 28, 2009 with the Roxy Pro Gold Coast.

Here are the 2009 World Tour Surfers:

1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
3 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
4 – Layne Beachley (AUS)
5 – Amee Donohoe (AUS)
6 – Samantha Cornish (AUS)
7 – Melanie Bartels (HAW)
8 – Rebecca Woods (AUS)
9 – Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
10 – Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
11 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS)*
12 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
13 – Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
14 – Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
15 – Paige Hareb (NZL)

The 2008 Women’s ASP World Qualifying series ended Thursday with 16-year-old Carissa Moore taking the title over 7x world champ Layne Beachley and two fellow teens, Laura Enever and Coco Ho, both 17.

Moore, who won 11 National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) National Championships, becomes the youngest winner of a Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Event.  On her way to the title, Moore defeated current world champion Stephanie Gilmore and World Tour hopeful Alana Blanchard.

The win did come with some drama as Ho, Moore’s close friend, helped block Beachley’s chances at a win toward the end of the final when it became clear that Ho could not win.  Beachley needed to score a little more than six points for the win and with less than a minute left, it looked like there was a wave that could get her that score.  But Ho also dropped in and ensured Beachley couldn’t get her score.

“It was pretty good Hawaiian teamwork,” said Beachley. “I’m sure if Coco kicked out of that wave I could have still hit the lip, but as I was bottom-turning I saw Coco go for an air. And, well, that just ruins any chance of doing anything. That’s what happens here in Hawai’i.

“I was really thankful that Coco ended up getting that one,” Moore said after the win. “I’m definitely thankful that she is one of my best friends.”

Moore is not competing for a spot on the 2009 World Tour but Ho and Blanchard still have a chance to make the tour depending on how the final two women’s events go down.

Read more about the final.

“I feel like I’m surfing the best I have in my whole career,” Beachley said in a statement. “Nothing has really changed on tour except for my attitude. It’s my lack of commitment to winning. I base my choices off my experiences and my experience has told me that you have to be 100% focused and also love you’re doing. Even though I love what I do, I’m beginning to love what I’m doing out of the water more. My passion for competitive surfing has been diluted, and to achieve success and to win world titles, you can’t afford for it to be diluted too much.”

Beachley has been actively involved in her clothing company, Beachley Athletics, as well as a charity, Aim for the Stars.  She also stages the Beachley Classic, the women’s surfing event with the highest-payout on the tour.

Though she’s retiring from full-time competitive surfing, Beachley will still compete on occasion when given wild card entries to events.

“I love women’s surfing. I’m really passionate about it. Just because I’m walking away from the Tour doesn’t mean I’m walking away from women’s surfing.”

Kelly Slater, who won his ninth world title earlier this month, acknowledged Beachley’s career and proclaimed her the best woman ever in the sport.

“Layne is the greatest female surfer of all time,” he said in a statement. “She has continued to … shatter records with her surfing style, technical ability and focus. She will be missed in the surfing world.”

Read more about the announcement here.

Beachley had always been open about her adoption, but the book marks the first time she revealed the truth about her birth.

“It was a little bit confronting, but I think I felt more worried about my mother than I did for myself,” Beachley said of the revelation.

Beachley continues to be a force on the women’s world tour, currently ranked third in the world.  Her signature event, the Beachley Classic, is set to get underway on Oct. 9 in Manly Beach, Australia.  It’s the fifth of eight Women’s Tour events this season, and offers the largest prize purse for women in surfing.

Find out more about her new book here and check out the official Beachley Classic site here.

cr. Dave Tease

Yes, there are other events going on this weekend in addition to the Dew Tour.  Specifically in surfing the Billabong Girls Pro Rio has already been whittled down to the Quarterfinals, with most of the top women still in the race (check the bottom of the post for the match-ups).

As soon as the women are done with their contest, action will ramp up in France with the Quiksilver Pro France 2008 (starting Sept. 19).  All eyes will be on Kelly Slater, who literally needs just a couple of heats to secure his record 9th world title.

Another Lay Day Called for Billabong Girls Pro Rio, Storm Coming

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Saturday, September 13, 2008) – Another lay day has been called for the Billabong Girls Pro Rio with competitors and event organizers opting not to run in the one-to-two foot (0.5) metre waves on offer this morning at Barra da Tijuca Beach in Rio De Janeiro.

Event No. 4 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Billabong Gils Pro Rio has already seen some standout performances from local Brazilians Silvana Lima, 23, and Jacqueline Silva, 29, and with an impending storm forecast to move in this afternoon, event organizers are hopeful that competition will resume tomorrow.

“We’re experiencing the calm before the storm right now,” Brooke Farris, ASP Women’s World Tour Manager said. “It’s supposed to roll in this afternoon and pick the swell up so hopefully we come back tomorrow and are greeted with some more waves.”

Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 3 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour ratings, is in the running Kustom Best Wave Award with her 9.00 out of a possible 10 single-wave score from Round 3. Beachley will face the ever-dangerous Lima in Quarterfinal 4.

Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion and current No 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, has been putting time in the past two mornings despite the small conditions to prepare for her battle against Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), 22, in Quarterfinal 3 when competition resumes.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and current No. 1 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour ratings, eliminated lethal wildcard Maria Tita Tavares (BRA), 32, in Round 3 and will face teammate Silva in Quarterfinal 2.

When Billabong Girls Pro Rio competition resumes, defending event champion Samantha Cornish (AUS), 27, will be up against Melanie Bartels (HAW), 26, in Quarterfinal 1.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 8am.

The Billabong Girls Pro Rio will be webcast LIVE via www.billabongpro.com/rio08

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Billabong Girls Pro Rio Quarterfinal Match-Ups:
Quarterfinal 1: Samantha Cornish (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Quarterfinal 2: Jacqueline Silva (BRA) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Quarterfinal 3: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Quarterfinal 4: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Layne Beachley (AUS)