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 film will follow some of the sport’s top athletes, including Stephanie Gilmore, and Sofia Mulanovich and newcomers like Sally Fitzgibbons, Courteny Conlogue and Coco Ho as they surf their home breaks (aka Dear) and other spots around the world (aka Yonder).  There will also be a tip of the hat to the sport’s legends, including Linda Benson and Lisa Andersen.

Roxy and the filmmakers held a one-night benefit art show Saturday to help raise money for the film, which is being shot by renowned surf cinematographers Thomas Campbell, Scott Soens and Dave Homcy.

For more about the project, visit www.dearandyonder.com.

Stephanie Gilmore | cr. Jimmicane

Fitzgibbons with her World Jr. trophy.

She may be only 17-years-old but Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons has done something no man or woman has ever done:  qualified from the WQS to the World Tour well before the halfway point of the season.  Thanks to the huge tear she’s been on since the start of the season, Fitzgibbons has already accumulated enough points to qualify for the world tour.  Due to how the ASP scores over the season, there is no way Fitzgibbons will fall low enough in the rankings to miss the World Tour cut.

Fitzgibbons has been a surfer to watch for years and is the reigning ASP World Junior Champion.  So far in ‘08 she’s won two events, finished second twice and also has an equal fifth place.  With about 100 women surfers actively competing on the WQS and 14 events, for Fitzgibbons to secure this honor six events is pretty spectacular.

For more about the accomplishment, check out the lengthy press release from the ASP below.

Sally Fitzgibbons Makes ASP History, Qualifies for 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour

COOLANGATTA, Australia (Thursday, June 26, 2008) – Reigning ASP World Junior Champion Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 17-years old, has made ASP history by securing enough ratings points on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) to qualify for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour well before the halfway point this season – a feat that has never been accomplished by any surfer (male or female) in history.

“My initial reaction when I found out that I had qualified was elation,” Fitzgibbons said. “It is a dream come true to qualify for the ASP Women’s World Tour and an honor to be competing against the top women surfers in the world.”

Al Hunt, ASP WQS Tour Manager, confirms Fitzgibbons’ historic feat following her runner-up finish to current ASP World No. 11 Silvana Lima (BRA) at the ASP WQS 5-Star Billabong Surf ECO Festival in Bahia, Brazil last weekend.

“This is the earliest that any ASP WQS surfer, man or woman, has ever qualified for the following year’s ASP World Tour,” Hunt said. “Sally’s current worst results are scores that others would love to have as their best, and the young natural-footer should be able to set a record winning margin by year’s end if she keeps up her current form.”

Fitzgibbons, who claimed the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in early January, has been on a tear since then, winning the ASP WQS 6-Star Roxy Pro Women’s Surfing Festival in Phillip Island, the ASP WQS 4-Star Arrive Alive Central Coast Pro at Soldiers Beach, finishing runner-up at the ASP WQS 6-Star Midori Pro in Newcastle, equal 5th at the ASP WQS 5-Star Drug Aware Pro in Margaret River and finishing runner-up at the ASP WQS 5-Star Billabong Surf ECO Pro to amass an unprecedented 9,090 ratings points.

“I have had a very good run of events so far this season,” Fitzgibbons said. “My success has come from solid preparation and great support from my sponsors, management, family and friends. This year I have really been enjoying myself surfing some new locations, it’s been an exciting learning curve.”

Excited about joining the Dream Tour in 2009, Fitzgibbons will be squaring off against the best female surfers in the world in some of the most idyllic settings on the planet.

“I’m looking forward to surfing some amazing locations with just a few girls in the water and also some hard competition, it should be really exciting,” Fitzgibbons said. “I look up to all the girls on tour. They are really talented and experienced competitors. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to compete against them next season in some good waves.”

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), reigning ASP Women’s World Champion, has witnessed Fitzgibbons’ natural talent and competitive savvy firsthand, having faced the young qualifier in the Finals of the ASP WQS 6-Star Midori Pro last April, and looks forward to seeing her on tour next season.

“Congrats to Sally,” Gilmore said. “She deserves a place on the ASP Women’s World Tour because she is one of the most talented, well-rounded athletes that I’ve ever met and one that will continue to push the sport in the right direction. Great to have her on tour next season.”

Brooke Farris (AUS), ASP Women’s World Tour Manager, has been another to closely follow Fitzgibbons’ progression this season, noting that the 17-year old follows in the footsteps of fellow ASP World Junior Champions, and current ASP Women’s World Tour campaigners, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) and Nicola Atherton (AUS) in qualifying for the Dream Tour in just one season.

“Sally has been on our radar for a few years now,” Farris said. “A combination of talent, commitment and an unquestionable competitive drive will make her a formidable competitor on the ASP Women’s World Tour in 2009. She is raising the bar for both her junior competitors as well as the current ASP Top 17. If one were to blueprint the ideal path towards becoming an ASP Women’s World Champion, you couldn’t do much better than the trail Sally has blazed thus far.”

Despite already setting ASP records and qualifying for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, Fitzgibbons shows no plans of slowing down her blitzkrieg on the ASP WQS. The young natural-footer is currently in Durban for the ASP WQS 5-Star Mr. Price Pro and will follow up with a run at the ASP WQS 5-Star Honda Women’s U.S. Open presented by O’Neill (where she finished equal 3rd last season).

“The remainder of the ASP WQS season, I will just try to keep doing what I’m doing and it would be fantastic to get some results in the second half of the year,” Fitzgibbons said. “Preparing for next year, I’ll try to improve my surfing and get ready for some tough competition, as women’s surfing keeps moving to new levels of performance.”

Fitzgibbons will join the already staggering ranks of talent on the ASP Women’s World Tour in 2009.

The payout wasn’t much ($4,500 for the top spot) but it was a marquee match-up as Fitzgibbons is sure to be a fixture on the women’s surfing scene for years to come — something Gilmore is quick to acknowledge.

“Sally really is going to be one to watch. There’s no doubt she has a great future,” Gilmore said.

Read more about the event here.

Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons