Rip Curl Womens Pro presented by Ford New Fiesta Round 1 ON

Pictured: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion, will kickstart her 2009 Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach campaign in Round 1 today. Credit: © ASP/ CI/ ROBERTSON via GETTY IMAGES

BELLS BEACH, Victoria (Tuesday, April 8, 2009) – Round 1 of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro presented by Ford New Fiesta will hit the surf in two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Bells Beach this morning starting at 9:30am.

The second event of the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach will see the best female surfers in the world take advantage of the swell on offer today.

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion and two-time defending Rip Curl Women’s Pro Champion, will begin her 2009 campaign against Bruna Schmitz (BRA), 18, and trials winner Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), 14, in Round 1 of competition.

“There are some contestable peaks coming through this morning and after the morning high tide has dropped, we’re starting with the women’s Round 1 at 9:30am,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Contest Director, said. “Looking at the swell forecast, these may be some of the better conditions we get for a little while so we’ll get Round 1 out there, with Round 2 on standby.”

View the Rip Curl Women's clothing range here.

Up first will be Amee Donohoe (AUS), 28, Rebecca Woods (AUS), 24, and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, in Heat 1.

The Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach pres. by Ford New Fiesta will be webcast LIVE via www.live.ripcurl.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach Round 1 Match-ups:

Heat 1: Amee Donohoe (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Heat 2: Layne Beachley (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Bruna Schmitz (BRA), Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 4: Silvana Lima (BRA), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Coco Ho (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 6: Samantha Cornish (AUS), Melanie Bartels (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 2 Match-ups:

Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 2: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 6: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 7: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Adam Robertson (AUS)
Heat 10: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 12: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Heat 13: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 14: Tim Reyes (USA) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 15: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 16: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. David Weare (ZAF)