Australians will be all over the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro quarter-finals at Snapper Rocks today.
In the Quiksilver, Joel Parkinson is surfing against Jordy Smith, Gold Coaster Josh Kerr is taking on the red-hot Kelly Slater and Owen Wright is pitched against Brazil’s Adriano De Souza. In an Aussie versus Aussie final, Taj Burrow will surf against fellow Aussie Adrian Buchan.
The Parkinson-Smith battle will be the one to watch. Yesterday the South African relegated Parko to a fifth-round battle to remain in the comp. But Parko emerged victorious with a perfect 10 despite battling a crippling bluebottle sting.
Wright and Kerr were also forced into the elimination round after being overtaken by maverick Brazilian Adriano de Souza, who scored 15.37 to Wright’s 15.13 and Kerr’s 9.00.
In the Roxy Pro, Australia’s Tyler Wright, 17, has pulled off a stunning upset, eliminating world and defending champion 19-year-old Hawaiian Carissa Moore.
Wright will lead a rare all-Australian assault on the Roxy Pro semi-finals and final with world number 10 Laura Enever advancing after defeating world number 5, Brazilian Silvana Lima 13.57 to 12.23.
World number 2 Sally Fitzgibbons knocked out Hawaiian Malia Manuel 17.00 to 12.00; and four-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore retains a chance to collect her fourth Roxy Pro Gold Coast title after edging out American Courtney Conlogue 16.43 to 16.30. In the semi-finals, Wright will meet Enever and Fitzgibbons will take on Gilmore.
