Sea, Sail & Surf newsWomen Surfing
Video : « Follow Pauline » Ado • episode 1-3
Monday 23 May 2011 –
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After Australia and New Zealand, the ASP Women’s Tour travels to a new continent for the Billabong Pro in Rio. After a disappointing 13th place in Sydney, Pauline Ado (FRA) had to focus on the 5th event of a season counting only 7 contests this year.
In Round 1, Pauline Ado faced Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 4 times reigning World Champion, and Suelen Naraisa (BRA), the local wildcard. The ranking was respected since Pauline ended 2nd of this heat behind Steph Gilmore. In Round 2, she surfed against Felicity Palmateer (AUS), another wildcard, that she dominated despite a “slow start” as Pauline declared. After two days off, organizers decided to send the girls back in the water to finish the women event before the arrival of a potential storm.
In Round 3, Pauline Ado is against two big names of the WT. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), current ranking leader and Sofia Mulanovich (PER), former ASP World Champion. Despite another strong surfing performance, Pauline didn’t do better than a 2nd place which sent her to Round 4 to face Coco Ho (HAW).
During this close heat, Pauline had to fight until the very last second to validate her ticket to the quarter finals, showing she had learned from her mistakes in New Zealand where she had been eliminated in Round 2 by the last wave of her opponent.
But in quarter finals, Sally Fitzgibbons didn’t leave her any chances to reach the semifinals …
No doubts Pauline Ado will one day access to this selective level of competition. Maybe in Biarritz next July when she’ll be surfing in front of her friends and family during the only European event of the WT this season.
Check out Pauline’s adventures at http://ripcurl.eu/?followpauline
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