Current ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) was unstoppable as she charged to victory at the inaugural Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Swatch Girls Pro taking the title after overcoming Coco Ho (HAW) in the 35-minute final at the main contest site of Les Bourdaines.
The swell remained a solid 4-5ft (1-1.5m) throughout the entire day with a strong onshore wind making conditions again tough for the girls and turning heats into another battle of physical fitness as well as surfing ability.
Gilmore stormed home claiming the Swatch Girls Pro title leading from the opening siren and finishing off with an 8.5 out of a possible 10 with only seconds remaining smashing the long rights on offer at low tide to seal the victory which never looked in doubt.
Scoring a 9.8 and an 8.5 for a two-wave combined total of 18.30 out of a possible 20 in her quarter-final Gilmore sent out a clear message that she was inform and gaining momentum with each performance. The reigning ASP Women’s World Junior Champion Laura Enever (AUS) came closest to causing an upset when she forced Gilmore to the wire in their semi-final however with less than 30-seconds to go Enever could only look on as her slim lead was shredded to pieces by the eventual Swatch Girls Pro winner.
“It is good training and great to hang out with all the girls here,” continued Gilmore about her experiences at the Swatch Girls Pro 2010. “It is hard work these events because you have to surf more times and there are more girls in the water so it is difficult but it feels good to know that I can still cut it and compete at these events and I’m sure that all these girls are hungry to join the world tour soon.”
Gilmore had this to say about her semi-final bout against Enever.
“The young girls coming through at the moment are really full on and I didn’t think I was going to make it through that heat against Laura but it came down to wave selection and it was definitely a tough event so it makes it all the more rewarding.”
Coco Ho (HAW) 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour “rookie” of the year has finished off a great week finishing second in the Swatch Girls Pro adding to her runner-up place yesterday in the Swatch Girls Pro Junior to find some confidence leading into the remaining events of the year.
“It is great to come to France and make the podium for both the Pro Junior and the WQS and to surf the final against Stephanie Gilmore, the best surfer at the moment and to be part of all this here.”
“The conditions didn’t go my way to find a good scoring wave and hopefully for the other events left on the tour this will help my confidence to knowI can make finals.”
Courtney Conlogue (USA) claimed the inaugural Swatch Girls Pro Junior title in a closely fought 35-minute final at Les Bourdaines as she maintained her status as the inform surfer of the entire Swatch Girls Pro Junior. Today also saw The Swatch Girls Pro run through to complete round 4 with excellent surfing witnessed in the stormy conditions setting up a great finals day tomorrow with the crowning of the Swatch Girls Pro Champion.
Courtney Conlogue (USA) had surfed brilliantly the entire week and had just one more hurdle to overcome before claiming the Swatch Girls Pro Junior title and the young 17-year-old did not let herself down by remaining focused in the very physical conditions which pounded the main site late in the afternoon.
Photo credit : JOHANN MOUCHEL / FREAKSURF MAG
