14 June 2007

South Africa's finest female surfers are preparing for their biggest clash of the year, when they take on a selection of top internationals at the five-star ASP World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro, taking place in Durban from 4 to 7 July .

The most prestigious women's surfing event in South Africa, the Mr Price Pro holds a prize money purse of R175 000, as well as precious ASP ratings points which count towards a surfer's overall WQS rating at the end of the year.

Nearly 60 female surfers have entered the event, including eight of the world's elite 17 World Championship Tour competitors.

Top seed
2006 runner-up and former ASP World Junior champion, Australia's Jessi Miley Dyer, is the top seed for the event, and will kick off her 2007 Mr Price Pro campaign in the round of 48.

Joining her in the same round are second seed and current ASP world number four Silvana Lima of Brazil, third seed and equal world number four Samantha Cornish of Australia, world number eight Australia's Amee Donohoe, and world number 12 Caroline Sarran of France.

Also featuring in the seeded rounds are South Africa's only WCT competitor Roseanne Hodge, who surfed to an outstanding equal third overall in 2006, and another two Australians, former world number two Melanie Redman-Carr, and equal world number four Rebecca Woods.

WQS campaigners
They can expect some tough competition from a hungry pack of WQS campaigners who will be eager to qualify for the prestigious ASP World Championship Tour. The mix includes world number five on the WQS and former Mr Price Pro champion, Australia's Serena Brooke, reigning world junior champion Nicola Atherton of Australia, WQS world number ten Nikita Robb of East London, another Australian Leilani Gryde, and local girl Tammy Lee Smith of Ballito.

Local campaigners such as former WCT veteran Heather Clark, ASP Africa Women's Champion Sarah Maritz, Western Province Champion Stacey Guy, national junior team member Tarryn Chudleigh, and up-and-coming junior stars Sarah Baum and Heidi Palmboom cannot be discounted.

Invaluable opportunity
The Mr Price Pro is the biggest women's surfing event in South Africa, offering local campaigners an invaluable opportunity to meet and compete against their surfing heroines, as well as get a taste of the international surfing circuit.

The competition gets under way on Wednesday 4 July and culminates with the 30-minute final on Saturday 7 July, with R28 000 going the way of the winner.

All the action will be broadcast live on Mr Price Pro.

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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