THE ASP women’s world-title race is a nail biter between Gerroa’s Sally Fitzgibbons and Hawaii’s Carissa Moore.

Sally, 20, and Carissa, 18, are neck and neck with Sal a nose in front since taking the ratings lead from the young Hawaiian with back to back wins at Bells and NZ.

That’s two wins and a third for Sally and one win and two seconds for Carissa and both are through to the quarter-finals of the Beachley Classic at Dee Why on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Reigning world champ Stephanie Gilmore has dropped to fifth on the ratings and is slowly losing her grip on the title.

Steph showed some of her best form in the earlier rounds at Dee Why and is into the quarter finals of the Beachley Classic.

Though the four-time world champion would need to win the next four events for her fifth consecutive crown, and because of the consistency of her new rivals, there’s no guarantee due to her lower results.

It has not been a good year for the Kingscliff champion despite signing up for one of the most lucrative deals in women’s surfing with Quiksilver.

An unprovoked assault and broken wrist left Steph with poor preparation for this year’s tour but Gilmore is not blaming that unfortunate incident for her lack of winning form saying her wrist is better now and giving full credit to her opponents.

The fact is Sally, Carissa and Tyler are surfing better now than last year and have caught up with Stephanie.

There are now only three events left after Dee Why to decide the women’s world title and these events were only just confirmed last week; Billabong Rio Pro, Brazil straight after Sydney, then Roxy Pro at Biarritz in July and the Huntington Beach US Open in August.

Steph has expressed her frustration that the final women’s event will be at Huntington Beach rather than Hawaii.

“We are working day and night to add more events and especially Hawaii,” says ASP tour rep Renato Hickell who explained that the economic downturn was not helping find additional sponsors.

What is so cruelly ironic about this lack of sponsorship for the ASP women’s world tour is that this year’s female line-up is easily the best to date, and the standard is so hot some of the girls would take heats off the guys.

Gilmore has been one of the greatest women world champions, no wonder her opponents have had to step it up.

Sally Fitzgibbons is a fitness fanatic who runs 40km a day, was selected to play state soccer and is an all-round sportswoman.

Last year, Sally had to be content to be the continual bridesmaid behind Steph’s momentous wake but this year the girl from Gerroa has gone to the next level. While Sally is the fittest on tour, Carissa Moore is the most futuristic and capable of all the new moves – a la air reverse throw tails which gives her a huge advantage.

Then there’s Tyler Wright, who while not as aesthetic in style, is the most powerful.

They represent the new brand of women’s surfing and are a formidable challenge to Gilmore’s reign.

Is this the changing of the guard in women’s surfing or can Steph pull out of the slump?

I heard how Stephanie and Quiksilver team manager Michael Crawley visited the grave of ACDC original front man/singer Bon Scott during a West Australia trip prior to Bells.

Scott’s famous song, “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll” could sum up Steph’s plight to get back on top of her game!