https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM2HtZv9fMg
Quarterfinalists were decided yesterday at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by BOQ, the opening stop on the Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour. The world’s best battled through Rounds 3 and 4 in small, clean surf at Snapper Rocks and the field was narrowed down to just eight surfers.
Above: Silvana Lima flies through to the quarterfinals. Photo WSL/Kirstin
Silvana Lima (BRA) delivered the most dominant performance of the Roxy Pro to date, posting the first Perfect 10 of season in her heat against Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Despite a blistering start from the Australian with a near-perfect 9.63, the Brazilian unleashed her full repertoire on the Snapper Walls, using her air game and power turns to take her place in the Quarterfinals.
“This was so good for me,” said Lima. “There was a lot pressure for me surfing against Sally, she’s so good. I was waiting for the good waves to do my best. I’m always looking for the airs because they push up the scores and I got 10 points, which is so good.”
Lima will face Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in the Quarterfinals for the third time this competition. The pair previously matched up in Round 1, where Lima took the win, and again in Round 3 where the Brazilian charger put the pressure on the reigning six-time WSL Champion. Lima held the lead through much of the heat, while Gilmore faltered on some more radical maneuvers. Gilmore took a wave in the final seconds, using her classic rail game to earn an excellent 9.00, a last-minute win and a place in the Quarterfinals.
“Round 3 is a no loser round so I wasn’t too worried,” said Gilmore. “Silvana had the most incredible wave selection, she turns waves that look like a 4 into a 7 or an 8. I had to make sure I picked the right waves and I was lucky that the last one came.”
Tyler Wright (AUS) was another top performer and faced Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Coco Ho (HAW) in a stacked Round 3 heat. Wright looked impressive from the start, posting an excellent 8.77 early on. Despite a strong showing from her opponents Wright held the lead and takes her place in the Quarterfinals thanks to a 17.20 heat total. Conlogue went on to defeat Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) in Round 4 and will face Wright again in the Quarterfinals.
“It turned out a lot better than I thought it would,” said Wright. “The dropping tide is doing wonders for the bank and it’s looking really nice right now. I don’t spend a lot of time out here but I had a talk to Mick (Fanning) before about what kind of wave works best with this swell direction. I actually listened to what he said, and I don’t usually listen to anyone, and it worked out well.”
“I’m just trying to have fun, be the best I can be out there and get creative,” said Conlogue. “Tyler is such a great athlete and I love competing against her because she brings the best out of me. She’s a World Title contender and I want to be up there with her.”
Hawaiian surfers Carissa Moore (HAW), Malia Manuel (HAW) and Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) were in fine form today, each earning a Quarterfinal berth. In Round 3 Moore defeated Lakey Peterson (USA) and Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) while Manuel took a dynamic victory in her heat against Weston-Webb and Fitzgibbons. Weston-Webb went on to edge a last-minute win over Dimity Stoyle (AUS) in their exciting Round 4 battle.
“It was a bit stressful,” said Moore. “I didn’t get into a good rhythm until 15 minutes into the heat and I was nervous but I knew I had to wait for a good one. I was stoked from there because I was able to catch waves on the way back out.”
“It’s crucial to make it through Round 3 for me and a huge relief knowing you’ve made it into the Quarterfinals,” said Manuel. “It’s a good result for me so I’m really happy.”
“I didn’t realize it was so close and that I could still get the score so I’m so relieved,” said Weston-Webb. “I jumped up and down when I found out, there was nothing going through me but pure joy. Quarterfinals my first event of the season. I’m so thankful and so psyched to get to surf Snapper with just two girls out.”
Peterson went on to defeat Coco Ho (HAW) in Round 4 and will face Moore in the Quarterfinals.
The Roxy Pro Gold Coast is webcast LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com.
The world’s best surfing is also broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports in Australia, MCS Extreme in France, EDGE Sports in China, South Korea, Malaysia and other territories and the WSL’s new partner in Brazil, Globo TV.
Roxy Pro Gold Coast Round 3 Results (1st to QF, 2nd and 3rd to R4):
Heat 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) 15.50, Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 12.37, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.90
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.83, Silvana Lima (BRA) 15.40, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 9.64
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.20, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 16.27, Coco Ho (HAW) 15.33
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.10, Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.90, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 12.03
Roxy Pro Gold Coast Round 4 Results (1st to QF, 2nd=9th):
Heat 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 14.83 def. Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 14.73
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA) 17.73 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.96
Heat 3: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.80 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 14.54
Heat 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.53 vs. Coco Ho (HAW) 12.34
Roxy Pro Gold Coast Quarterfinal Match-Ups (1st to SF, 2nd=5th):
Heat 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Silvana Lima (BRA)
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
