Layne Beachley Bags the Billabong Girls Pro Brazil

Sylvana Lima. Billabong is banking that the first brzilian world champion will be a women.

“It would have been really cool if Silvana (Lima) and I had been in the final together. Two rookies on tour and Silvana being from Brazil, it would have been unreal,” Miley-Dyer said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.”

Although looking dangerous in her homeland’s beachbreaks, Lima was unable to find the scores needed to overcome Beachley in the semifinals.

“I opened up with a really strong wave, an 8.25 but couldn’t find another good one. I was having trouble with my positioning,” Lima said. “I am disappointed but it is still a good result, let’s see what I can do next week in France!"

Lima posted an equal third for her best result to date and now sits fifth in the world.

Defending ASP World Champ Chelsea Georgeson looked en route to re-ignited her world title campaign before falling to rookie Miley-Dyer in the semifinals.

“It’s a little frustrating. There was a lot of current out there,” Georgeson said. “When I was watching it there were a lot of waves on the left, but then there were some popping up on the right too so I paddled over and then the waves were on the left again. It was just one of those frustrating heats where you just have to sit in one spot and let the waves come to you I guess."

Frustrations aside, Georgeson’s equal third finish sees her maintaining her current third spot on this season’s ratings.

The girls will be jetting across the Atlantic next for the Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle in Hossegor, France held from August 31 to September 5, 2006.

For more information log onto www.aspworldtour.com.