8| Karina Petroni
Birthday:January 15, 1988
Hometown:Atlantic Beach, Florida

Natural beauty, a smooth, flowing style, and a travel ethic that puts her on the road for more than eight months a year are the building blocks of this Floridian’s approach. She also likes to compete, and does her time on the North Shore like every good girl should. “I love to win,” says Petroni. “There are definitely two sides to me: I have a mellow personality, but when I get out there, I know what I have to do.” If her pet passion for modeling doesn’t steer her in a less-athletic direction, she has the talent to make things happen in the water. Two NSSA national titles and a brief stint amongst the upper echelons of the Qualifying tour in ’06 are the proof. Simply put, she’s not just good looks and a marketable package.

9| Sally Fitzgibbons
Birthday:May 8 1991
Hometown:Gerroa, Australia

Australia just keeps churning them out. In the conveyer belt of talent, after Rebecca Woods and Stephanie Gilmore comes 16-year-old Sally Fitzgibbons. To say the last couple of months have been fruitful for the cute little regularfoot doesn’t quite do her accomplishments justice: Under 18 Quiksilver Australian Grommet Champion, first in the Under 16 division of the Rusty Gromfest, first in the Under 16s at Occy’s Grom Comp at D’bah, first in two different divisions at the Icon All Girls Showdown in Lennox—and, oh yeah, and she’s also medaled in the Youth Olympics, winning gold on the track in the 800m and 1,500m distances. “I went on a camp with Sally last October and came away saying that she has got it,” said Rebecca Woods. “She is world-champion material—you can see it in her attitude, and her surfing is amazing.” And while she would seem to be just a competitive animal, there’s a lot of energy and exuberance in Fitzgibbons’ surfing. Her dad is guiding her along the way, and local hero and ASP tour vet Todd Prestage is contributing his vast amount of experience to her development. The only decision she has to make, as one Australian headline read: “Should she wear a tracksuit or wetsuit?”