Tyler Wright claims the 2011 ASP Women’s World Tour Rookie of the Year award
The 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour Rookie of the Year Award has been clinched by Australia’s Tyler Wright, who finished the season at fourth spot in the rankings.
The 17-year-old had made a couple of appearances in the elite Tour over the last three years, walking away with top honours from the Beachley Classic in 2008 and O’Neill Women’s World Cup in 2010. However, this was her first ASP Women’s World Tour season
after getting incepted in the elite Top 17.
Despite pitted against the renowned surfing talents from around the world, the young sensation was able to hold her own and make an unforgettable impact during the season. She was able to come up with a remarkable performance regardless of the conditions
she had to surf in and it was this consistency that allowed her to finish with a season-end fourth position.
While talking about her successful ASP World Tour campaign, Wright said, “Competing against the top girls in the world like Steph (Gilmore), Carissa (Moore) and Sally (Fitzgibbons), on a full time basis really inspired my surfing and making the final in
the first event of the year was definitely a highlight for me. It’s also been pretty cool having my own pass and not being someone’s plus one anymore.”
The Lennox Head-based surfer had gotten off to a flying start at the 2011 season, making it into the Finals at the very first stop, Roxy Pro Gold Coast. The next event, Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach, saw her advance to the quarter-finals before getting
removed from contention.
Wright got into the semi-finals at Subaru Pro TSB Bank Women’s Surf Festival and quarter-finals of the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic. The remaining three events of the ASP Women’s World Tour, namely Billabong Rio Pro, Roxy Pro France and Nike US Open
of Surfing, all saw Wright qualify for the quarter-finals before getting eliminated.
It was quite apparent that Wright possessed the skills and talent to collect a few victories on the tour, though she always seemed to succumb to the pressure once the competition reached its crucial stages. Making such a solid impact in her very first season
amongst the extremely talented ASP elite, Wright is expected to come back as an even more formidable force next year.
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