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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:29 a.m., Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Surfing: Monahan wins Roxy ASP Women's World Longboard

Advertiser Staff

Joy Monahan of 'Aina Haina won the Roxy ASP Women's World Longboard

Championship contest today in France.

The final day of the week-long contest was run in 1- to 2-foot waves at

Biarritz, France.

Monahan, 22, is the first female from Hawai'i to win the women's world

longboard championship.

She defeated Australia's Chelsea Williams in the one-on-one final,

14.1-13.5. Williams led for most of the 30-minute heat, but Monahan received

a score of 8.25 with 10 minutes remaining, and then a 5.85 with six minutes

remaining to take the lead.

"I am super stoked, I cannot believe I won the championship",

Monahan said. "Chelsea is one of the best surfers in the world

and it was one of the most difficult heats to win. I got good

waves and was very focused for the win."

Monahan, known as Joy Magelssen before getting married last year, defeated

2007 world champion Jennifer Smith of California in the semifinals.

All surfers in the contest had to ride surfboards at least 9 feet long.