Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, has claimed her third consecutive ASP Women’s World Title today, making history as the only surfer ever to win the prestigious crown each year they have competed at the elite ASP World Tour level (men’s or women’s).

The clinching was somewhat unexpected as today’s competition began with six surfers in contention for the 2009 ASP Women’s World Title. With each heat advancement and the narrowing of the field at the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach, Event No. 6 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the irrepressible Gilmore navigated her way to her third ASP Dream Tour Title.

“It’s surreal to win for a third time,” Gilmore said. “It’s amazing! I woke up this morning and knew it was going to be a good day. The waves were building and you sort of get that fuzzy feeling throughout the day. I really don’t even know what to think about it. I just want to thank everyone for the support that I’ve had throughout the whole year.”

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Surfing Australia will launch into summer with a splash, with the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) unveiling its brand new website today.

The new Surfing Australia website is light years ahead of the previous website in both visual impact and cutting edge programming, and is accompanied by the revamp of the State’s (NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and WA) websites.

The user interface features a full screen high quality image of a deep blue wave with the content designed to seamlessly adjust to the centre of the screen. Navigating the site is easy thanks to an intuitive menu system and instant access to key information from the home page.

Unlike most enterprise style websites that utilise a Flash based rotating news system, the Surfing Australia website employs an advanced code based news system for greater accessibility and security to visitors to the site.

The new website manages to condense a high amount of information without looking the same as other corporate style websites that share a common layout thereby separating the new SA website from the dreaded ‘template’ look.

see the site http://www.surfingaustralia.com/

SUNSET BEACH, Oahu/Hawaii (Wednesday, November 25, 2009)

A massive swell in the 15–to-18-foot (5-6 metre) range has slammed in to Oahu’s North Shore and has forced event officials to call the Gidget Pro Sunset Beach, Event No. 7 of 8 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, off for today.

“Of all the places in the world, this is one where you call a contest off because it’s ‘too big’ rather than ‘too small’,” Randy Rarick, Vans Triple Crown Contest Director, said. “We’ve got 15-to-18-foot surf conditions that are expected to build throughout the day, and it’s closing out Sunset Beach so obviously too big for competition. It will be a day for Waimea today. We’re off tomorrow for Thanksgiving, and this swell should be slowly declining throughout the next several days so we’ll look to catch the backside of it on Friday.”

Surfline.com, official foreers for the Vans Triple Crown, are calling swells to remain strong over the next several days but gradually decline from today’s peak.

The Gidget Pro Sunset Beach represents the second stop on the highly coveted Vans Triple Crown Series and the sixth of seven events on the ASP Women’s World Tour, playing a crucial role in surfers’ quests for requalification for a spot amongst the elite in 2010.

Tomorrow, November 26, marks the observed American holiday of Thanksgiving and no competition will be held.

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

The Gidget Pro Sunset Beach will be web LIVE via www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

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