Gerroa's reigning ASP World Junior Champion Sally Fitzgibbons has made history by securing enough ratings points on the World Qualifying Series to qualify for the 2009 ASP Women's World Tour, well before the halfway point this season.
This feat by Fitzgibbons, 17, has never been accomplished by any female or male surfer.
"My initial reaction when I found out that I had qualified was elation," Fitzgibbons said.
"It is a dream come true to qualify for the ASP Women's World Tour and an honour to be competing against the top women surfers in the world."
ASP WQS tour manager, Al Hunt, confirmed Fitzgibbons' historic feat following her second place finish to world No 11, Brazilian Silvana Lima, at the WQS Five-Star Billabong Surf Eco Festival in Bahia, Brazil, last weekend.
"This is the earliest that any ASP WQS surfer, man or woman, has ever qualified for the following year's ASP World Tour," Hunt said.
"Sally's current worst results are scores that others would love to have as their best, and the young natural-footer should be able to set a record winning margin by year's end if she keeps up her current form."
After claiming the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in early January, Fitzgibbons has been on a roll, winning the ASP WQS Six-Star Roxy Pro Women's Surfing Festival in Phillip Island and the ASP WQS Four-Star Arrive Alive Central Coast Pro at Soldiers Beach.
She also finished runner-up at the ASP WQS Six-Star Midori Pro in Newcastle, took equal fifth at the ASP WQS Five-Star Drug Aware Pro in Margaret River, Western Australia, and came second at the ASP WQS Five-Star Billabong Surf Eco Pro to amass an unprecedented 9090 ratings points.
"I have had a very good run of events so far this season," Fitzgibbons said.
"My success has come from solid preparation and great support from my sponsors, management, family and friends."