ISLE FILE
Bartels places second in pro surf
Advertiser Staff
Wai'anae's Melanie Bartels placed second in the Roxy Pro Gold Coast women's surfing contest yesterday at Australia.
Bartels advanced to the final before losing to defending world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia.
The final day of the contest was run in 1- to 3-foot waves at Snapper Rocks, Australia.
"I am ecstatic right now," Bartels said. "Surfing against Steph in a heat is always a challenge for me. I know how good she is. I knew I needed to put up big scores, but no waves came through."
Gilmore scored a 9.57 (out of 10) on her opening wave and stayed in the lead for the entire heat. Gilmore's final two-wave score was 16.07 to top Bartels' score of 12.5.
Gilmore received $12,000, and Bartels got $7,000.
The Roxy Pro was the first contest of the 2009 ASP Women's World Tour, so Gilmore is now ranked No. 1 and Bartels is No. 2.
"To get a good result at the beginning of the year gives momentum to go into the next event and feel a little bit more confident and relaxed," said Bartels, who was ranked No. 7 in 2008.
Bartels defeated Sunset Beach's Coco Ho in the semifinals. Ho, who is a rookie on the 2009 tour, received $6,000 for third place.
"It feels good," said Ho, 17. "I'm really happy for Melanie as well. She was surfing so well out there and got the better of every exchange."
The next event on the women's tour is the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Australia, April 8 to 13.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
GROVE, NELSON WIN
Hawai'i fighters Kendall Grove and Shane Nelson earned impressive victories on the undercard of the UFC 96 mixed martial arts event yesterday at Columbus, Ohio.
Grove, who is from Maui, defeated Canada's Jason Day by TKO in the first round of a middleweight (185 pounds) bout. Grove dropped Day with a straight right to the face, then pounced and landed several elbow shots to the head. The referee stopped it 1 minute, 32 seconds into the first round.
Grove improved to 10-5, and apparently kept his position safe in the UFC organization. Prior to the event, UFC president Dana White said Grove could be released if he did not beat Day.
Grove, who received a UFC contract by winning the The Ultimate Fighter 3 TV series in 2006, is now 5-2 in UFC bouts.
Nelson, who is from Hilo, defeated Washington's Aaron Riley by first-round TKO. The referee stopped the bout 44 seconds into the first round after Nelson landed a right hand, although Riley appeared to be OK to continue.
SOFTBALL
WAHINE WASHED OUT
Radford (Va.) University led Hawai'i 6-1 in the second inning of last night's game in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament when heavy showers forced the game to be called at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. It will not be rescheduled.
In games completed yesterday, Oregon State beat Santa Clara, 3-0; Mississippi State beat Mount St. Mary's 6-1; Florida Gulf Coast beat Mount St. Mary's, 5-4, and Florida Gulf Coast beat Radford, 16-6.
Weather permitting, the tournament will resume today starting at 10 a.m.
WASEDA SWEEPS CU
Three pitchers teamed for a one-hitter as Waseda University of Japan beat Chaminade, 5-0, yesterday to complete a sweep of an exhibition doubleheader at Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Natsumi Saito had two hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBIs for Waseda. Alyssa Dumlao singled leading off the sixth Chaminade's lone hit.
In the first game, Waseda took advantage of five errors in the sixth to score four runs in a 6-3 victory.
Skye Virtudes hit a two-run homer for the Silverswords.
TENNIS
UH MEN PLAY TODAY
The University of Hawai'i men's team's final regular-season home match against San Francisco, which was postponed due to inclement weather yesterday, has been rescheduled for today at 8 a.m.
