Roxy ASP Women's World Longboard Championships Kick Off Tomorrow in France

La Côte des Basques, Biarritz – France (Friday, July 10, 2009) – The Roxy ASP Women’s World Longboard Championships (WWLC) will start tomorrow Saturday, July 11, at the famous surf location of La Côte des Basques in Biarritz, the world’s best female longboarders getting their 2009 ASP Women’s World Longboard title quest underdway. The event, which is running its fourth consecutive edition in the Basque town, will get straight into business implementing a new competition format with direct elimination from Round 1.

“Thank you to Roxy and the city of Biarritz for their support of professional women’s longboarding,” ASP International CEO Brodie Carr said. “The new format has been reduced from forty-eight to thirty-two entries, bringing sudden-death straight from Round 1 which will make the show more exciting, and with a new swell supposed to hit from Monday, the four-day waiting period will allow for a great event in Biarritz.”

With women’s longboarding evolving towards performance every year, the level displayed in the next few days will give the numerous French summer crowds some great action and intense battles as outsiders take on favorites. With major upsets being possible from Day 1 of competition, reigning ASP Women’s World Longboard champion Joy Monahan (Oahu, HAW) and former event champion Jennifer Smith (California, USA) will lead a hungry field of competitors all looking to become the 2009 champion.

“Having less surfers and sudden-death from Round 1 means more challenge,” Roxy Summer Marketing Manager Anne Mollet said. “It’s great to have the world’s best back in Biarritz and we thank all competitors for their presence and expect some exciting action.”

Round 1 will feature sixteen One-on-one match-ups with 2007 event runner-up 17-year-old Justine Dupont (Lacanau, FRA) taking over Roxy wildcard and 15-year-old Johanne Defay (REU) in Heat 1 when competition kicks off. A call has been made at 10 AM for a possible 10.30 AM start at La Côte des Basques by contest director Philippe Malvaux (FRA) if conditions allow it.

ROXY ASP WWLC ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) Vs Johanne Defay (REU)
Heat 2: Claire Karabatsos (FRA) Vs Yoko Furuchi (JPN)
Heat 3: Claire Dereux (FRA) Vs Kelia Moniz (HAW)
Heat 4: Leah Dawson (USA) Vs Michelle Hill (ZAF)
Heat 5: Rachel Barry (USA) Vs Philippa Hill (ZAF)
Heat 6: Jennifer Flannigan (USA) Vs Geodee Clark
Heat 7: Crystal Dzigas (HAW) Vs Coline Menard (FRA)
Heat 8: Joy Monahan (HAW) Vs Summer Romero (USA)
Heat 9: Chelsea Williams (AUS) Vs Cori Schumacher (USA)
Heat 10: Isabelle Braly (AUS) Vs Karina Abras (BRA)
Heat 11: Kassia Meador (USA) Vs Renate Moerman (NDL)
Heat 12: Miku Uemura (HAW) Vs Georgia Young (AUS)
Heat 13: Jennifer Smith (USA) Vs Rosie Lock (AUS)
Heat 14: Kelly Nicely (USA) Vs Cristiana Pires (BRA)
Heat 15: Julie Cox (USA) Vs Pandora Decoster (FRA)
Heat 16: Yuko Shimajiri (JPN) Vs Candice O’Donnell (GBR)