SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Friday, March 5, 2010) – Following the completion of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast (won by Taj Burrow), the Roxy Pro Gold Coast completed the Quarterfinals, setting up a possible finish for this afternoon.

The opening event of the 2010 ASP World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast whittled the field down to the final four competitors with Australians and Hawaiians battling it out for supremacy.

Chelsea Hedges (AUS), 26, former ASP Women’s World Champion (2005), was in sizzling form this afternoon, posting an impressive 16.60 out of a possible 20 to dispatch of 2009 ASP World Runner-Up Silvana Lima (BRA), 25, in their Quarterfinal bout.

“I’m so happy,” Hedges said. “It was such a hard day making decisions whether to run like earlier in the high tide or wait for the low tide, and I think the girls stuck to the plan and said ‘no, let’s wait for the low tide when it’s a little more rippable’. And I think it’s a good decision. The wave is not great, but it’s a little more top-to-bottom now.”

Hedges, who took a sabbatical from full-time competition in 2008 to become a mom, is now back in the driver’s seat, putting herself in contention for the 2010 ASP Women’s World Title.

“I’m enjoying and loving my surfing right now,” Hedges said. “I probably don’t get to surf as much as the other girls with free surfing. Being a mom is tough. It’s hard to get all those hours in the water. I’m lucky to get one surf a day, but at the same time, every surf I do have, I’m really amped, and I love every minute of it. I’m like a little kid again. I feel like Coco (Ho) and Sally (Fitzgibbons) and those girls - I’m just a bit older though.”

Hedges will face Melanie Bartels (HAW), 27, in Semifinal 2 when competition resumes.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.

When competition resumes, up first will be Coco Ho (HAW), 19, up against reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, in Semifinal 1.

Highlights from today’s Roxy Pro Gold Coast can be found via www.roxypro.com.au

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com


ROXY PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.33 def. Lee Ann Curren (FRA) 6.50
Heat 6: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 13.50 def. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 12.17
Heat 7: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 13.23 def. Jessi Miley-Dyer (HAW) 12.97
Heat 8: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 14.27 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.37

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Coco Ho (HAW) 14.33 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.07
QF 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.00 def. Rebecca Woods (AUS) 5.47
QF 3: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 16.60 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 9.83
QF 4: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 11.43 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 9.76

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS:
SF 1: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
SF 2: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)