USOS: Manuel makes history with women’s title
July 26th, 2008, 4:46 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Shawn Price
Malia Manuel just finished off the greatest underdog performance a surfer has ever had at the world’s biggest surf contest.
Manuel, just 14, won the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing Women’s final, beating fellow Hawaiian Coco Ho in an upset 14.34-7.92.
Though conditions have dropped and waves were harder to come by, Manuel found what she needed. Pushing against the heavy riptide, Manuel got a 7.67 on her second wave, a right, and it gave her the lead for good.
Ho,despite already having the junior girl final victory in her pocket, was never able to get in the right position for the key waves of the 30 minute finale.
Several minutes later, Manuel went right again for a 6.67. Ho needed an 8.17 to catch her, but it wasn’t going to happen.
Manuel was the youngest finalist and won the youngest women’s final in the history of the event, years younger than last year’s finalists of (then) 19-year-old Stephanie Gilmore and 20-year-old Karina Patroni. Manuel was also a wildcard into the event.
