This year the surprisingly tropical city Wanning just off the Southern coast of China on the Hainan Island, hosted the single longboarding comp, the Swatch Girls Pro China 2012, to crown the 2012 ASP Women’s Longboard World Champion on the 21 – 25 November.China, seeming like an unlikely place to surf, has been cultivating an exciting surf culture on the beautiful beachy Hainan Island for the last few years. 32 Of the best longboarders from South Africa (high 5’s to Michelle Van Kempen and Tara Hossack), Hawaii, Australia, California, Japan, Europe and China were welcomed ”like rock stars” in China at the fabulous Opening Ceremony of the event.

These girls fought it out in five rounds, a quarter, semi and final round by making the best of the shoulder-high surf. The American Summer Romero Karina Rozunko placed in third and fourth place. Finally former champion and Aussie, Chelsea Williams, was up against Kelia Moniz, yet again. This time Kelia killed it with classic hang ten maneuvers. Although the girls played nice at the Swatch Girls Pro China comp, Hawaiian and newly crowned 2012 ASP Women’s Longboard World Champion, Kelia, rightfully reminded us where it all began.