Beachley Withdraws from Heritage Heat

Updated September 8, 2015

Layne Beachley (AUS) has been forced to withdraw from the Trestles Heritage Heat following a recent neck and back injury. She was slated to compete against fellow surf titans Lisa Andersen (USA) and Sofia Mulanovich (PER), who will compete against each other during the Swatch Women's Pro and Hurley Pro at Trestles.

"Regrettably I had to withdraw from competing in the Heritage Heat due to a serious injury I suffered two weeks ago," said Beachley. "I was looking forward to this amazing opportunity to not only reignite my rivalry with Lisa Andersen but to share that excitement with her and Sofia Mulanovich in a perfect Trestles line up -- I'm bitterly disappointed and I have no doubt Lisa and Sofia will do women's surfing proud."

Andersen and Beachley are two of the biggest rivals in surfing, earning 11 Titles between them. Sofia Mulanovich (PER) helped put Peru on the professional surfing map, becoming the first-ever World Champion not only from her country, but from South America.

Get a snapshot of the remaining two Heritage Heat surfers before they paddle out:

Lisa Andersen - WSL / Pierre Tostee

Lisa Andersen

Hometown: Ormond Beach, Florida, USA
Age: 45
Stance: Regular
Career Highlights: 4-time World Champion (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)

Lisa Andersen gave birth to her first child, Erica, in 1993. Unlike parents who step away from their careers when kids come along, Andersen credits the birth of her daughter, Erica, as the inspiration she needed to focus her ambition. The following year, she won her first World Title. She went on to win again for three more years in a row. Over the course of her career, Andersen tallied 24 elite event wins.

Andersen, high-speed competitor. - WSL / Pierre Tostee ASP / Steve Robert

"Chased and adored by men all over the world, Lisa learned how to make the most of every opportunity," Beachley said of Andersen in Surfer magazine's 50 Greatest Surfers of All Time. "She was my greatest rival and my most humbling mentor; she taught me how to lose on too many occasions."

Mulanovich is known as a powerful surfer with solid backhand game. - WSL

Sofia Mulanovich

Hometown: Born in Lima, Peru. Grew up in Punta Hermosa, Peru
Age: 32
Stance: Regular
Career Highlights: World Champion in 2004

Known for her power in the water and commitment to the surf community on land, Mulanovich grew up near the beach and, once she discovered surfing, had a fast and furious rise to prominence. Having learned to bodyboard as small child, she moved on to shortboards by the time she was nine. Her talent and power led her to start competing, but with few women's contests available she mostly surfed against boys. She turned pro by age 16, in 1999, and made the elite Championship Tour (CT) in 2003, winning the Rookie of the Year award.

She was just beginning her career when Andersen and Beachley were at their heights of dominance, but she still threw a wrench in their competitive aspirations. In 2004, her second year on Tour, she finished at No. 1, halting Beachley's attempt at a seventh, consecutive Title. Among many honors, Mulanovich has won an ESPN ESPY award, a Laurel Sports award from the government of Peru, and in 2007 was inducted into the Surfers Hall of Fame.

Less than two years after leaving the Tour, Mulanovich launched Proyecto Sofia, a high-performance youth surf academy that trains 10 students regardless of socio-economic background. In a January interview with the WSL she said, "I have received a lot out of surfing and I felt it was my turn to offer this back to surfing and to Peru."

Last year's Heritage Series saw fierce battles between Tom Curren (USA) and Mark Occhilupo (AUS), Brad Gerlach (USA) and Martin Potter (GBR) and an all-star bout at Pipeline. Don't miss the former women's World Champions face off during the Swatch Women's Pro event window, September 9 - 20, 2015.