Reigning world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore won her second straight event today, beating seven times champion Layne Beachley in an all-Australian final of the Rip Curl Pro in France.
Gilmore won 16.66 points to 11 in small conditions at Hossegor.
She took over the lead in the ratings from Peru's Sofia Mulanovich who was beaten in the third round.
Gilmore has 2760 points to Mulanovich's 2532 with Beachley on 2280 after three events of the eight-round world championship.
Gilmore exercised discretion in the final while Beachley struggled to find waves with sufficient scoring potential.
"I was fortunate to get those few waves out at the beginning that allowed me to get a few manoeuvres in," Gilmore said.
"It was really tough out there really fast and racy and not easy to get scores.
"Unfortunately for Layne, she wasn't able to find a wave she could really open up on."
Despite a disappointing ninth place finish in the season opener at home on the Gold Coast, Gilmore has rebounded.
"I'm absolutely fired up," she said.
"It's my second year on tour and I'm looking to defend my title."
Beachley's effort was enough to boost her from fifth place in the ratings, putting her well within striking distance of an eighth ASP women's world title.
"I'm just happy that I can still hang with the young girls and to finish in the final and move up to third is a great place to be heading into the back half of the season," the 36-year-old said.
"I'm really proud of Steph, she's been the form surfer all event and she deserved the win."
Teenage wildcard Lee Ann Curren, the daughter of legendary men's former world champion Tom Curren, continued her fine run before going down to Beachley in the semis.
The 19-year-old French-American had accounted for Mulanovich in the third round yesterday and today won her quarter-final against Australian Jessi Miley-Dyer 13.5 points to eight.
The next stop on the tour is in Brazil from September 10-28.
