Roxy Fiji Surf Jam FINALS CONTINUED...

"My semifinal was basically a shocker," reasoned Brooke. "I was being patient at the start, but then Megan got that one wave which reeled all the way down the reef. I was just waiting for one like that, but never got it. Seemed like every wave I took was fast and closing out. It was hard to read the conditions out there, and I was just out of sync with the good ones. I was kind of unlucky, but I was happy to be in the semis at least.

"This is a good start," she continued. "I'm just going to work my way up from here. We only have five events, so every one is really critical. I haven't got any pressure on me, I'm in third again, so I'm pretty happy with this. Of course I would have liked to have made the final and won, but I'm really happy to have gotten this far."

Silva, 21, posted the highest single wave score of the day against Rochelle Ballard (Haw) during their quarterfinal - a near perfect 9-point ride - but was unable to repeat this against Redman the following round. Nonetheless, the Brazilian made a huge jump up the ratings from 13th position and was thrilled by her result.

"I got really good waves, but I fell too many times," said Silva. "Mel found some high scores and progressed to the final. I'm very happy, though, as this equals my best result ever, and I hope to go even better in the next contest."

Beachley, 28, who was eliminated by Silva and Ballard, collected her worst result in four years today.

"Basically my wave selection was what let me down," explained a disappointed Beachley afterward. "I happened to hit the reef a couple of times on the inside and was just a little shaken. It's bad luck, I guess. I was a little unprepared for what the conditions had to offer out there and just didn't do enough.

"It's been the worst start I've had in four years," she continued. "I
usually don't allow myself to get anything less than fifth, and now I have a ninth for the first time since 1997. I'm incredibly disappointed. I've got to make a mends for it in Tahiti (next week) for how I started here and try and get my confidence back up. Right now I'm pretty shattered."

Official Results of the Roxy Fiji Surf Jam
1st Megan Abubo (Haw) 17.75 - US$10,000
2nd Melanie Redman (Aus) 12.65 - US$6,000

Semifinals (losers finish equal 3rd with US$4,000)
SF1: Melanie Redman (Aus) 17.surf def. Jacqueline Silva (Brz) 16.0
SF2: Megan Abubo (Haw) 19.4 def. Serena Brooke (Aus) 11.0

Quarterfinals (losers finish equal 5th with US$3,500)
QF1: Melanie Redman (Aus) 17.25 def. Maria Tavares (Brz) 10.2
QF2: Jacqueline Silva (Brz) wake.5 def. Rochelle Ballard 17.75
QF3: Megan Abubo (Haw) surf.9 def. Keala Kennelly (Haw) 9.5
QF4: Serena Brooke (Aus) wake.55 def. Heather Clark (SAfr) wake.35

Round Three (3rd place finishes equal 9th with US$3,000)
H1: Melanie Redman (Aus) 19.0; Maria Tavares (Brz) 13.25; Kate Skarratt
(Aus) 12.9
H2: Rochelle Ballard (Haw) snow.4; Jacqueline Silva (Brz) 13.85; Layne
Beachley (Aus) 12.5
H3: Keala Kennelly (Haw) 10.surf; Megan Abubo (Haw) 7.2; Pauline Menczer (Aus)
6.05
H4: Heather Clark (SAfr) 17.95; Serena Brooke (Aus) 16.35; Neridah Falconer
(Aus) surf.4
 

Further Information:

www.aspworldtour.com and www.quiksilver.com

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