It ain't over til the Hawaiian wildcard sings

Cassandra Murnieks sums up the drama at the Roxy Pro Hawaii

Oahu wildcard Melanie Bartels provided one of the most dramatic finishes in professional surfing after winning the Roxy Pro Hawaii at Sunset Beach. Bartels posted a 7.33 in the last 14 seconds to secure a win over surfing sensation Stephanie Gilmore. Eighteen-year-old Gilmore was out in front for most of the final, and looked as if she was going to wrap up the battle – held in 1-2m waves - with her combined score of 13.50. The scene was set for a remarkable Gilmore win as Bartels, Chelsea Georgeson and Rochelle Ballard were left struggling for waves, but all that changed when Bartels rode her way to victory in the last minute.

Gilmore was also a wildcard and staged an upset earlier in the day when she defeated six-time champion Layne Beachley in the semi-final, which allowed her to move into her third World Championship Tour final. Bartels, who has qualified for the 2007 World Championship Tour via the World Qualifying Series, earned a last minute invite to compete in the trials when a previous invitee declined her spot. Finishing second in the trials, Bartels earned a spot in the main event when world No. 7 Silvana Lima (PER) withdrew from the event with an injury.

“I wasn't even in the event in the beginning,” Bartels said. “Fortunately for me I got a call on Thanksgiving Day and was told that I had a spot in the trials. I was really stoked, because I kept saying how much I needed to be in this event because I think that I’m one of the best Hawaiians out there.”

Until today, the Hawaiian was notorious for failing to turn her talent into tangible competition success, but after winning the final, she silenced the critics - as well as any inner doubts she may still have harboured. “I think something has clicked because even in the trials there were heats where I wanted to give up,” Bartels said. “But as soon as that negativity came into my head, I went 'Think positive,' and that made me think that I still had a chance. I stuck to my game plan and turned that negative into a positive.”

Bartels is now anxious to join the tour in 2007 and hopes to post similar results. “It was definitely my time today and hopefully it will still be my time next year."

Gilmore may have lost the final, but the Australian's second-place finish saw her jump into the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series lead as well as earn the Triple Crown Nose Guard Rookie of the Year award. Had she paddled for the wave that Bartels caught to win the contest, she may have added Roxy Pro Hawaii champion to that list as well.

“I saw that wave coming and I could have caught it but didn't think that it was going to be any good," Gilmore said. “I didn't even see Mel paddle for it, so I just let it go and hoped there'd be a better one behind it for me, but there wasn't. It's cool though and I am happy for Mel because this will be a very good confidence booster for her and hopefully next year she'll be doing the same thing on tour.”

All eyes will now turn to the last event on the tour for the women - the Billabong Pro in Maui - to decide who will win the world title. Only 348 points sit between Layne Beachley (6170) and fellow Australians Melanie Redman-Carr (5622) and Chelsea Georgeson (5605).

The Billabong Pro starts on the 8 December.

Cassandra Murnieks writes for The Australian newspaper

Comments

[Rob]

Oh damn shame about Layne getting knocked out.. Bring on Maui I guess.

[Tom]

Come on Georgeson! Two in a row!