Wildcard Tyler Wright (AUS), 16, has won the O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing

SUNSET BEACH, Oahu/Hawaii (Thursday, December 2, 2010) – Wildcard Tyler Wright (AUS), 16, has won the O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing, topping Sunset Beach local Coco Ho (HAW), 19, reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 22, and ASP Women’s World Tour No. 2 Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 19, in two-to-four foot (1 metre) surf at Sunset Beach.

The final stop on the ASP Women’s World Tour, the O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing also marked the second jewel of the Vans Triple Crown and played a vital role in surfers’ campaigns towards requalification for the 2011 ASP Women’s Dream Tour.

Wright, competing in the first Vans Triple Crown of her young career, quickly catapulted into the lead in the Final, smashing the event’s highest single-wave score of a 9.57 out of 10 en route to the highest heat total of a 17.24 out of 20 by linking a series of massive forehand hacks and powerful carves to leave the field in a combination situation within the first 10 minutes of the bout to eventually take out the win.

“This feels pretty cool,” Wright said. “I had fun out there and caught a couple of waves and it started really pulsing at the end, so I was happy and having fun. The girls were ripping out there so it was good.”

Wright, who won her first ASP Women’s World Tour event at 14 as a wildcard, will be competing on her rookie year among the elite in 2011 and used the O’Neill Women’s World Cup as excellent preparation for next season.

“This event has been a great warm up for next year,” Wright said. “It’s going to be fun next year and I’m looking forward to it.”

Wright, who finished runner-up at the Reef Hawaiian Pro, also earned the prestigious JN Automotive Group Rookie of the Vans Triple Crown award and her current standing as ratings’ leader will see her compete for the 2010 ASP Specialty Series Title at Pipeline in a one-heat battle for the prestigious three-event series.

“I didn’t even know there was a Rookie of the Year title for the Triple Crown until someone told me the other day,” Wright said. “It’s really cool. I’m happy to be here and having fun so I guess that’s the main thing I suppose. It’s awesome that I got in to Pipe. I’ve surfed there a couple of times now and I love it out there, you get some pretty big barrels.”

Ho, who finished the year 7th overall, made her first final of the season in front of her home crowd at her local break of Sunset Beach and was satisfied that the best result of her year came at her local break.

“Tyler (Wright) kind of had it from the start and it was hard to hear out there,” Ho said. “I just wanted to get two good ones, but I’m more happy then sad. I finally got a final this year and to finish this well at home, I’m really happy.”

The Hawaiian native’s second place finish also secures her spot as one of four competitors who will battle for the Vans Triple Crown Title at Pipeline, the Vans Duel for the Jewel.

“Getting in to Pipe kind of all came with it,” Ho said. “I didn’t expect anything. I knew I had a 7th at Haleiwa, but now I’m going to be in Pipe. It should be so fun with just three girls out and hopefully backdoor will have a few fun ones.”

Gilmore, who wrapped up her fourth consecutive ASP Women’s World Title in Puerto Rico, worked her way in to yet another final at the O’Neill Women’s World Cup, this time finishing 3rd behind Wright and Ho, moving her back to second place entering the final event of the Vans Triple Crown at Pipeline.

“I guess I’m not in the lead for the Triple Crown, Tyler (Wright) is, and that’s pretty cool,” Gilmore said. “I really struggled out there in my last heat. I didn’t watch it too much and it was extremely shallow.”

Gilmore, who topped Wright at the Cholo’s Hawaiian Pro, the first jewel of the Vans Triple Crown, views the young Aussie as a welcome addition to next year’s ASP Women’s World Tour and is looking forward to battling against her throughout the 2011 season.

“Tyler is really hungry,” Gilmore said. “She’ll be a good addition to the tour. She’s really good and hopefully we’ll be pushing each other. We need more girls like that on tour and I’m looking forward to the competition.”

Fitzgibbons, who finished the year at No. 2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, entered her fourth final of 2010 after topping defending event champion Carissa Moore (HAW), 18, in the Semifinals and took fourth place overall. Despite being frustrated with not taking the event win, the Australian talent looks at the final as more valuable experience under her belt for next season.

“I was stoked to make a final here at Sunset two years in a row, but the waves just kind of evaded me,” Fitzgibbons said. “I didn’t really have the rhythm and Tyler was on the good ones early one. I hadn’t really surfed the point like that much before. It does get frustrating sometimes making so many finals and not getting a win, but I’ve got to just keep moving on and keep building and hopefully get that win sometime soon.”

The final stop on the 2010 Women’s Vans Triple Crown will see the current top four surfers on the ratings after the first two jewels, Tyler Wright, Stephanie Gilmore, Coco Ho, and Alana Blanchard (HAW), 20, battle for the prestigious ASP Specialty Series title in a one-heat battle at Pipeline, the Vans Duel for the Jewel. The event will take place during the Billabong Pipe Masters waiting period, December 8 through 20th, 2010.

For O’Neill Women’s World Cup highlights log on to http://www.triplecrownofsurfing.com/oneillwomensworldcup/

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing Final Results:
1 – Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.24
2 – Coco Ho (HAW) 11.43
3 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 10.27
4 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 9.96

O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.03, Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.50, Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.00, Malia Manuel (HAW) 13.00
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.23, Coco Ho (HAW) 13.00, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 10.60, Carissa Moore (HAW) 10.43

O’Neill Women’s World Cup of Surfing Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.67, Silvana Lima (BRA) 9.43, Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 9.43, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 9.10
Heat 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 15.67, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.94, Rebecca Woods (AUS) 8.94, Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 5.63
Heat 3: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.54, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.33, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 10.86, Lee Ann Curren (FRA) 6.56
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.83, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 14.20, Sage Erickson (USA) 11.84, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)

Final 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour Rankings:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
3 – Carissa Moore (HAW)
4 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
5 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
6 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
7 – Coco Ho (HAW)
8 – Melanie Bartels (HAW)
9 – Paige Hareb (NZL)
10 – Rebecca Woods (AUS)
11- Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
12 – Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
13 – Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
14 – Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
15 – Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
15 – Amee Donohoe (AUS)
15 – Nikita Robb (ZAF)

2011 ASP Women’s World Tour Roster:
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
3 – Carissa Moore (HAW)
4 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
5 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
6 – Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
7 – Coco Ho (HAW)
8 – Melanie Bartels (HAW)
9 – Paige Hareb (NZL)
10 – Rebecca Woods (AUS)
11 – Laura Enever (AUS)
12 – Tyler Wright (AUS)
13 – Courtney Conlogue (USA)
14 – Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
15 – Pauline Ado (FRA)
16 – Alana Blanchard (HAW)
17 – Injury Wildcard, yet to be determined