Friday, 20 November 2009 00:00
Alana doing the locals proud.
Alana Blanchard, who’s only 19 years-old, is just as famous for her gorgeous looks as she is for her surfing, but that will all change after today. She took down two World Champions Steph Gilmore and Sofia Mulanovich and former World Junior Champ Rebecca Woods in the final of the Vans Hawaiian Pro, the first stop of the $1,000,000 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Blanchard won $2,500 today but now leads the Vans Triple Crown series ratings that will pay $25,000 to the women’s winner at the end of the three events.
The women surfed through all four rounds of the event today in waist to head-high surf. It was a hard-fought final between Gilmore and Blanchard, with little separating the two who were equally as impressive on their backhand attack on the lefts. In the end, only 1.12 points was the difference.
"It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my career," said Blanchard on her win.
"I haven’t won a lot and it’s special to win in Hawai’i because I live here and it’s part of the Triple Crown.
"I was just trying to have fun and stayed relaxed the whole time. I didn’t care if I won or lost."
Gilmore plans to take advantage of her second place finish to boost her momentum going into the next event, the Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach that’s critical to her world title campaign.
"I was really relaxed in this event. Although it’s Triple Crown, it’s just a specialty event for us. It was a good warm up and I feel good to make the final.
"The world title race is really tight at the moment and this is a good confidence booster heading into Sunset, which is a great event for the (WCT) girls. It’s good to push ourselves."
For more
www.triplecrownofsurfing.com
