Can Stephanie Gilmore claim world surfing title at Sunset Beach?

The ASP Women's World Tour still has something the men's tour does not: a race for the world title.

That's because the women's tour roster does not include anyone as dominant as Kelly Slater, who long ago clinched his ninth men's world title, leaving in his wake -- once again -- a race for second place down the homestretch on Oahu's hallowed North Shore.

So the women's tour contains another ingredient the men's tour does not: parity.

The title race is extremely close between Australia's Stephanie Gilmore (pictured above) and Peru's Sofia Mulanovich (second photo).

Gilmore, 20, is the defending world champion, hoping to win a second title in as many years on tour and begin a mini-dynasty.

Mulanovich, 25, is a former world champion who is nursing an injured foot but remains only 185 points behind Gilmore going into the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, the second-to-last event on the women's tour and the second jewel in the  prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Mulanovich, the defending Roxy Pro champion, assures her foot "is feeling much better" and that she's looking forward to trying to defend her event championship. "I love surfing in Hawaii," she says.

Also in the running is seven-time world champion Layne Beachley, 36, another Australian, who will retire from competitive surfing after the season and would relish departing with another crown.

"I still have that hunger in me and I still want to perform and I want to win," said Beachley, who is pictured below. "Hawaii has always been good to me and I would love nothing more than to finish the year with a win or two."

Gilmore, however, is in prime position and could even clinch the title during the Roxy Pro, which precedes the season-ending Billabong Pro Maui.

Basically, if Gilmore wins the Roxy Pro, Mulanovich would need to make the four-woman final to keep the race alive. Beachley would be out of the running.

If Gilmore finishes second at Sunset Beach, Mulanovich needs at least an equal seventh to force a Maui showdown. Beachley would need a victory at Sunset to stay in the race.

"I’m not really thinking about the ratings, but more so putting in a good performance in Hawaii," Gilmore said. "Both Sofia and Layne are tremendous surfers out here in Hawaii, both at Sunset and in Maui, and you can’t count them out here. Hopefully we get some good surf and are able to have a great event."

That's an important variable: surf. There isn't any today, which marks the opening of a contest window that runs through Dec. 6. But a northwest swell is supposed to build and the Roxy Pro could begin Tuesday.

-- Pete Thomas

Photos: Stephanie Gilmore (top photo) and Sofia Mulanovich (second photo) are separated by only 185 points in the race for the women's world title. Layne Beachley (third photo) also is in the race. Credit: ASP/Covered Images