The first event on the 2010 ASP World Tour is the Roxy Pro and it kicks off in a few weeks on the 26th of February. Sally stars on the cover of the official Roxy Pro event guide that was put together by the crew at Surfing World Magazine. Inside you'll find all the info you need to know about this year's event and the following interview with Sal…

The Best Chance For A Breakthrought Win: Sally Fitzgibbons

Interview by Reggae Elliss

After a successful junior career and the fastest WQS qualification in history (men’s or women’s) Sally Fitzgibbons hit the 2009 World Tour with huge expectations. While she didn’t score an elite victory she did finish her rookie year in 5th place on the end of season ratings. With confidence and experience now on her side the 2010 Roxy Pro could provide a perfect setting for Sally’s breakthrough triumph.

You've just finished your first year on the ASP Women’s World Tour with a 5th placing. Were you happy with your rookie year?

There were definitely some ups and downs, but to overcome some of the challenges and finish in 5th for the year was a big achievement for me. Moving from the WQS series to the World Tour did take some adjustments. It's something you have to adapt to quickly or you can be left in everyone’s wake before you know it. The World Tour is that next level where every heat is like a final.

You came on to last year's tour with a lot of fanfare. Did the high expectations put more pressure on you last year It did add a little pressure to do well.

It's hard to know what to expect first year around, but it was a great learning curve and I had a lot of fun along the way.

Is the progression of women's surfing part of your motivation?

Women's surfing has been progressing every year and it is great to be apart of that progression. I think the bar will continue to be raised and it's a great motivation to improve my own surfing. It seems only yesterday that I was beginning my rookie year and now to see fresh new faces for 2010 is really exciting. I think the title race this year will be a sprint to the finish line, with some excellent match-ups along the way.

You've had a break from competition since Hawaii. What have you been up to?

It is great to rest up and get ready for the year ahead. After spending so much time on the road it’s good to go home and catch up with family and friends. I also recently did a trip to Micronesia where we scored all time waves. It was a really fun trip and a good way to spend the off-season.

The Roxy Pro is the first event of the year... how important is it to get the year off to a good start?

The Roxy Pro is an excellent way to kick off the year. It's always nice to have a good start to your campaign. I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and starting on a positive note. Roxy is also my long-term sponsor and that definitely provides added motivation. It’s an event that carries a lot of prestige.

What do you think of the venue?

Snapper can turn on some epic waves when it wants to. Having Snapper Rocks as the venue for the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro is insane. It’s one of the best high performance waves worldwide.

A perfect venue for the world’s best surfers to perform. Who do you see as the major threats for the event?

Every competitor is a major threat. With perfect waves on offer everyone can be dangerous out there.