Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines will add local Hawaiian and former top ten pro Keala Kennelly as a wildcard entry, adding some excitement and drama to the competition. With Julia De La Rosa out with injuries, the 2007 X-Game’s Gold Medal-winning Kennelly was offered the open spot, while Billabong’s new star from New Zealand, wildcard Paige Hareb qualified for the 2009 WCT and moved straight into the main event.

“I’m stoked to get a shot in the Trails!” said an enthusiastic Keala when she was told the news. “I have been surfing all over the world, getting a lot of coverage from the magazines, but there is nothing like surfing good Honolua Bay with only one other person out.o/oo

Seven-time World Champion Layne Beachley, who will be surfing in her last regular ASP competition, and is gunning to win her final event, has had some fiery duels with Kennelly. Both are seasoned pros with a lot to prove at the fabled locale that caps the ASP World Tour.

“Keala could do some damage at a place like Honolua Bay,” said Billabong team manager Megan Villa. She’s proved to be dangerous there in previous years.o/oo Kennelly came second at the 2006 Maui Pro.

Kennelly, who was named Freesurf Magazine’s Female Surfer of the year in 2007, was a season regular in the quirky but well-received surf-noir series John from Cincinnati.

Beachley, the winning-est woman competitor in ASP history, is as fearless as Keala in big waves, and equally at home at fast right-hand point breaks like Honolua Bay. A matchup between them on Layne’s last waltz would add excitement to an already memorable final event.

Fuel TV will air coverage of the Billabong Pro Maui on January 22, 2009 at 8pm ET/PT. A OELive’ webcast of the event will be streamed on billabongpro.com throughout the active days of the contest.

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