Statistically, Beachley, 24, posted a 20.76 final heat score, got a 9.33 wave, won $5,000, a G-Shock watch, a pair of Zeal Optics sunglasses and jumped from 5th in the world to number three.

More than that, after a long, forced layoff and rest she regained confidence in her surfing and will now focus on winning the women's world championship title next year.

"I gotta have more holidays, I gotta get chronic fatigue more often," said Beachley. "I'll tell you what, I'm totally exhausted now. That last set clubbed me. I had trouble coming up after the second one (wave), and I thought 'if there's a third one I'm not coming up again.' I came up and thought 'that's it. If another wave comes I couldn't move my arms any more.' I just couldn't paddle. I was really exhausted. The three heats today really took their toll.

"Compared to Haleiwa where it's a shorter paddle and there's more waves, at Sunset it's a long paddle and there were so many waves coming through," Beachley said. "I was so excited to be out there with just four girls it was perfection. I just wanted to catch every wave that came to me. I did that, and got worked too often. People are wondering why I'm not walking around elated. But I'm so exhausted, I just can't.

Second was Melanie Redman, 22, Yallingup, Western Australia. Redman received $2,500. Third was Megan Abubo, 18, $2,000 and fourth was Lisa Andersen, 27, from Ormond Beach, Florida, who cinched her third women's world championship when she won the preceding women's semi-final.

"I was glad to be in the finals, especially with the waves being a good size," said Abubo, 18, of her first final on the women's championship tour and has just completed her first full year on the circuit finishing 13th overall. "All the girls in the final ripped, so I was really stoked." Abubo now wants to win the newly-established, 1997 Women's World Qualifying Series. In 1997 the format of the ASP women's world tour will change to a two-tier system similar to the men's, and only the Top 11 women off the 1996 ratings will qualify for the elite World Championship Tour.

Redman made the cut moving to 11th overall with an outstanding big-wave performance in the last women's competition of the 1996 season.

As the last women's event of the year, it also determined the women's world champion. The contest was between reigning, two-time world champion Lisa Andersen Australia's Pauline Menczer. Andersen successfully made it through the semi finals of the Quiksilver/Roxy Women's Pro but Menczer didn't . The result? Andersen entered the final as the three-time women's world champion.

So when Andersen paddled out with Abubo, Beachley and Redman the next question was, would Andersen post her first-ever win a women's contest in Hawai`i? It was on her Christmas list, but Santa Claus held back, and Andersen will have to try for a Hawai`i title next year.

It wasn't a total disappointment, however. Andersen brightened up considerably when she learned she'd earned a $20,000 bonus for winning the championship. Menczer got $10,000.

Shifting peaks and gusty 15- to 20-knot winds eliminated many strong surfers in the early morning quarter finals but by afternoon it was classic Sunset Beach with perfect peaks, steep drops and six- to eight foot waves.

Notes and Quotes: Some of the smaller surfers were having large problems with the wind and spray. Tahiti's Patricia Rossi, surfing her second contest on Oahu's North Shore, got tossed around like a potato chip on a too-small surfboard, (6'3") and despite her aggressive style only caught two waves in her quarter final heat, finishing fourth overall.

"I think it was a combination of everything," Rossi said. "I'm used to riding small boards and I didn't want to take my big board because I knew I couldn't take the biggest waves. I'm so scared of big waves. I almost knew my place before the heat but I wished to go there and beat the others and surf best waves, but nothing happened.

"But I'm happy. I didn't take (a) wave for 15 minutes, and I just think, 'I can't go back on the beach without taking a wave, I have to take one or two waves.' I took my two waves. I'm happy. I hope to train (in) a lot of waves like that."

Melissa Proud, 34, from Lahaina displayed strong surfing, a result of having won three previous HLSA contests at Sunset Beach. "That could be an advantage to me. I've been in this contest twice before but I always rode a smaller board, so I learned my lesson and took a bigger board out this time. I listened to Rabbit (Kekai) when he told me to take a bigger board. We're team mates and we both ride Donald Takiyama boards. A former Longhi's chef for ten years, she's now a waitress at Planet Hollywood, Maui. Both restaurants have helped sponsor her throughout their surfing career. The next heats are going to be rough but I'm going to keep the faith. I know I have as much chance as anybody else.

Pauline Menczer's consistent appearance in final heats at Sunset Beach is no surprise. A former world champion and defending Roxy Women's champion she surfs sunset with big moves. Menczer was in a position to win another world title if she won the event and Andersen placed lower than third in the final. But Menczer's semi-final heat moves were countered today by other competitors who had their eye on first place.

"Everyone wants to win," said Menczer of her fourth place finish in the semi-final. "Layne Beachley blocked me on every wave so I couldn't catch any. I thought she would get an interference on one, but I didn't hear them call anything. At the end Melanie blocked me from getting waves, so I didn't catch any." When asked if there was any way to battle back, she replied: "No. I thought my first wave was a really good wave, but I only got a 5-something. I knew I had it against me already, so... "

G-SHOCK World Cup of Surfing
Presented by Zeal Optics:

In round three of the men's event, 13 of 16 heats were completed. Those advancing were: Australia: Taj Burrow, Barton Lynch, Daniel Wills, Paul Paterson, Damien Hardman, Michael Barry, Nathan Webster, Michael Rommelse. Brazil: Peterson Rosa, Flavio Padaratz. Hawaii: Richard Schmidt; Pancho Sullivan; Derek Ho; John Shimooka; Ross Williams; David Gonsalves; Kaipo Jaquias; Myles Padaca, Michael HO; Noah Budroe. Puerto Rico: Carlos Cabrero. USA: Hans Hagen; Shane Beschen; Rayn Simmons; Pete Rocky; Chris Brown.

The competition continues tomorrow, surf permitting.

The hotline number for updated, recorded contest information is: 808/638-5024

Media information:
Carol Hogan or Jodi Holmes
808/638-5533. Fax: 808/638-5008

Websites:
http://holoholo.org/triplecrown/
http://www.asp-intl.org/
http://www.extremesportscast.com/