FRESH OFF wins on the local circuit and a podium finish at an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) event, the older Chelsea of surfing is training her attention on the United States’ East Coast as she looks to further her international career.
Chelsea Roett was the lone Barbadian to stand on the podium with a third place finish at the recently concluded ASP Ron Jon Vans Junior Women’s Pro event in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
The ASP event was Roett’s first final and she bettered her fifth place showing at the 2013 version of the event.
“The level of competition was quite tough this year with all of the girls surfing really good, Roett said.
“It was a very challenging break and you really have to be on it and perform at your absolute best to make sure you find the right waves that allow you the highest scoring potential. It truly tests your all-round surfing ability,” the 19-year-old explained.
However, Roett made it look easy by charging through all of her heats on her way to her finals’ berth. She won her round one heat, securing a comfortable place in the quarter-final heat.
Roett then went on to post the second highest scoring heat total, of 14.50, in that round.
Also surfing in that same heat was the eventual winner of the competition, Mahina Maeda from Hawaii.
She was second to Roett with a score of 12.83. Roett and Maeda then both advanced to the semi-finals and both again were first and second.
However, Maeda got the upper hand and took the top podium finish.
Tatiana Westen-Webb, also of Hawaii, was second while United States surfer Caroline Mark was fourth.
The year is shaping up to be a busy one for the teenager.
Roett recently won the Open Women’s division in the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s (NSSA) Caribbean Region, after winning the four qualifying contests recently held here in Barbados.
Those events qualified her for a spot in the NSSA East Coast Regional Final in April in New Symrna, Florida. From there, she hopes to qualify for the National finals in California in June.
In addition, Roett is also busy on the local surfing circuit, having recently won the first two events in the Open Women’s division of the Barbados Surfing Association’s Surfer Of The Year contests.
However, when she is not surfing and training for the next surf competition, she is a student at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies where she is pursuing her BSc in marketing management.
Meanwhile, Chelsea has expressed gratitude to her sponsors LIME, Oakley, GTI Surfboards, Move 2 More fitness and Uneasy Riders for helping to make her participation possible. (HLE/PR)
