Maya Gabeira and Sally Fitzgibbons take part in a surf survival course that trains them in breath holding techniques that can be applied to surfing.

Australian Sally Fitzgibbons has defeated American Sage Erickson on an epic final day of competition to win the Swatch Girls Pro France at Seignosse in Hossegor.

Both Fitzgibbons and Erickson surfed at their limit. Sally Fitzgibbons, who is currently rated No. 2 on the elite ASP Women’s World Title Series, competed in her second consecutive Swatch Girls Pro France event and her victory marks her third major ASP win this year.

While the women’s Swatch Girls Pro France has been completed, the Swatch Girls Pro Junior kicked off action today and competed Rounds 1 and 2 to narrow the field of under-21 girls down to 16.

Take a look at highlights of day 1 and day 2 from Swatch Girls Pro in Hossegor.

Day 1

Day 2

Narrowly defeating World No. 2 Sally Fitzgibbons in the Final in Rio over the weekend, Carissa Moore secured her third win of the 2011 ASP season. With two events left this year–the Roxy Pro in Biarritz, France, in July and the U.S. Open in Huntington in August– Carissa Moore currently reigns over the World Rankings, with Sally not far behind. Carissa rocked! Take a look at this short video- tribute to the winner!

Carissa Moore (HAW), 18, has claimed the Billabong Rio Pro, stop No. 5 of 7 on the 2011 ASP Women’s World Title Season, over Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 20, in punchy 1 metre waves in a hard-fought Final at Barra Da Tijuca yesterday.

Moore and Fitzgibbons nearly matched scores on their opening accounts, but the young Hawaiian notched a solid 8.10 midway through the heat with polished backhand surfing on a lefthander that proved to be enough to solidify Moore’s third elite event victory of the 2011 season.

“I just went out there and had fun and to me there was no pressure in the Final,” Moore said. “I was just stoked to be in the Final regardless of how I finished. Obviously I’m happy that I won. The girls really didn’t go on those lefts, but they worked out for me today.”

Check out the video with the best surfing of the Billabong Girls Rio Pro’s final day.

Silvana Lima (BRA), 26, put on an impressive performance in front of her hometown crowd to match her best result of 2011. The talented Brazilian finished behind Carissa Moore in their Semifinals matchup and was happy to tie her best result of the season at her home event.

“I’m so excited to have matched my best result in front of my home crowd,” Lima said. “Of course I wanted to make the Final, but I’m so happy with my result and thanks to everyone for all of the support.”

Billabong Rio Pro Final Results:

1 – Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.87
2 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.80

Billabong Rio Pro Semifinals Results:
SF 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 13.67 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 10.33
SF 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.16 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.23

Billabong Rio Pro Quarterfinals Results:
QF 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) 13.63 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.27
QF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.50 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 9.93
QF 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 12.44 def. Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.97
QF 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.10 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 9.57

Billabong Rio Pro Women’s Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.33 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 9.30
Heat 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.63 def. Alana Blanchard (HAW) 10.14
Heat 3: Pauline Ado (FRA) 12.40 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 11.03
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.84 def. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 9.24

Billabong Rio Pro Women’s Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.50, Silvana Lima (BRA) 7.14, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 1.97
Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.83, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 11.26, Paige Hareb (NZL) 4.66
Heat 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.17, Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.73, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 8.00
Heat 4: Laura Enever (AUS) 11.66, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.00, Coco Ho (HAW) 9.00

ASP Women’s World Title Top 5 (After Billabong Rio Pro):
1. Carissa Moore (HAW) 47,000 pts
2. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 41,650 pts
3. Tyler Wright (AUS) 30,620 pts
4. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 29,350 pts
5. Silvana Lima (BRA) 27,920 pts
Billabong Rio Pro Men’s Round 1 Match Ups:

Check out this video from the opening day: rounds 1 & 2 of the Billabong Girls Rio Pro at Barra da Tijuca!

Brazilian surfing prodigy, Peterson Crisanto, has been awarded a coveted wildcard spot into the main event of the US$500,000 Men’s Billabong Rio Pro. The 19-year-old from Paraná state will be the youngest surfer in the event and certain to draw one of the tournament’s big-name seeds in the form of Kelly Slater (USA), Jordy Smith (ZAF) or Mick Fanning (AUS).

Crisanto’s ability to consistently pull a variety of aerial maneuvers makes him a legitimate threat to the sport’s biggest names, and surfing in his first-ever ASP World Tour event in familiar waters – he has nothing to lose. The fanatical hometown Brazilian surf fraternity will be pushing him all the way!

In January on Australia’s Gold Coast, Crisanto claimed the biggest-ever first-place prize for a junior surfer when he won the Hurley Burleigh ahead of a stellar, all-international field. The third and final Billabong Rio Pro webisode focuses on Crisanto and his possible shot at glory.

The Billabong Rio Pro incorporates event number 5 on the ASP Women’s World Tour. Starring the top-17 rated female surfers and one wildcard, the tournament boasts a $120,000 prize pool. Hawaiian Carissa Moore leads the race for the 2011 World Title ahead of Australians Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright. Four-time and reigning world champion, Stephanie Gilmore, is fourth.

Roxy surfer Sally Fitzgibbons continues to dominate the ASP Women’s World Tour as she claims her second consecutive win at the Subaru Pro TSB Bank Women’s Surf Festival in New Zealand.

Charging into the finals amidst a wave of near perfect scores and flawless performances, Australian-born Fitzgibbons was high on confidence in familiar waters and it translated in her final heat against Hawaii’s Carissa Moore, who until today held the top position on the women’s tour. With today’s win, Fitzgibbons moved into the number one position on the 2011 Women’s World Tour.

“I am just so overwhelmed,” Sally stated. “It’s an incredibly feeling. I just tried to have fun out there and do my best. It’s like a dream right now.”

“Sally is on fire!” said Danielle Beck, Vice President of Roxy, Marketing “We are so excited! Sally has had winning on the mind for years and we really feel like this is her year.”

Congratulations to Sally Fitzgibbons for her incredible performance these past few weeks. Next up for the Roxy pro surfer is a trip back home for the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic.

Roxy decided to push the famous Roxy Jam a bit further this year, invite some short board cracks and create a unique, innovative event for the elite of female surfing: the Roxy Pro.

Going down in Biarritz, France from July 11th – 17th, the traditional ASP Women’s Longboard World Championship with icons such as Jennifer Smith and Kassia Meador, is joined by a stop of the ASP Women’s World Tour, assembling the top 17 surfers, including the likes of 4times world Champ Steph Gilmore, our current cover girl Sally Fitzgibbons and wildcard Lee-Ann Curren.

The longboarders will compete in the first of two legs of the World Circuit in Biarritz on the Cote des Basques, whilst the surfers will compete in their penultimate event of the season at nearby Villa Belza, or at one of neighbouring spots, which will have a mobile structure to have the best wave conditions.

And of course they also stay true to their tradition of blending in some culture and art, with a huge free concert at the Port Vieux Beach, on Sat 16th July with Lily Wood & The Prick, The Sounds, and Pendentif as well as an art exhibition by Roxy icons Kassia Meador, Pandora Decoster and others, dedicated to surf culture and with a Californian theme.

Current world number two Sally Fitzgibbons, a previous multiple winner at portuguese events, along with Billabong’s Paige Hareb and Courtney Conlogue and some of the top women’s surfers, including former World Champion Sofia Mulanovich and young guns such as Coco Ho, Tyler Wright, Laura Enever (World Junior Champion), Alana Blanchard, Bethany Hamilton or Lee-Ann Curren, alongside local Portuguese surfers like Billabong team rider Joana Rocha and 2009 WQS number 20 Francisca Pereira dos Santos, will all be looking to do well this year at the event.

Watch all the action live on billabongpro.com

Those ancient surfboards are far more difficult to control than a regular surfboard. Take look at the video.

This great event took place at Fitzroy Beach in Hawaii from April 10 – 16 and featured some really amazing riding over the six days of competition.

Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons rode with consistency throughout the entire event but she was ultimately won by exceptional skills of local girl Carissa Moore, who took the first place.