Queensland’s world famous Superbank delivered clean three to four foot (1–1.5 metre) waves yesterday as the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, presented by Land Rover, completed three rounds of competition.
Event number one of seven on the 2013 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT), the Roxy Pro Gold Coast hosts the world’s best female surfers in their opening stop of the season and the ASP Top 17 ramped up their respective performance levels today as the event field was narrowed down to the final eight surfers.
Carissa Moore (HAW), 20, 2011 ASP Women’s World Champion, reasserted her dominance amongst the world’s best female surfers today, posting the day’s high heat total of 18.43 out of a possible 20 for an unmatched display of forehand prowess during her Round 3 heat.
‘The waves are really fun out there right now,’ said Moore. ‘All the girls on tour rip and you can see it when they’re given the opportunity in good waves. Stoked to move through to the next round in the event and hopefully the waves keep delivering.’
Moore will take on Pauline Ado (FRA), 22, in the quarterfinals when competition resumes.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 25, reigning five time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending Roxy Pro Gold Coast winner, continued her hometown run today, posting a Round 3 win and advancing through to the quarterfinals. ‘There are no easy heats these days,’ said Gilmore. ‘I’m feeling very good on the equipment and the waves have been very fun for us to start the year in. I’m excited to see what the coming days bring and hope I can keep progressing.’
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), 19, 2013 ASP Dream Tour rookie, caused a massive upset today, besting her more experienced opponents in Round 3 to advance directly through to the quarterfinals of the Roxy Pro. ‘Sally (Fitzgibbons) and Laura (Enever) are such good surfers so I did not take them lightly,’ said Buitendag. ‘The waves are really fun right now though and I was able to get a couple that stood up well on the bank. It’s my first event as a WCT surfer so to be through to the quarterfinals is a really good result for me already.’
Buitendag was joined by returning surfer Alana Blanchard (HAW), 22, who caused a huge upset in defeating fellow Hawaiian Coco Ho (HAW), 21, in a high scoring Round 4 affair.
Tyler Wright (AUS), 18, into her third year among the women’s elite tour, once again announced her intentions today during Round 1, posting an emphatic win to advance directly through to the quarterfinals. ‘It felt good to go out there today and put in a couple good heats,’ said Wright. ‘I felt like I surfed well yesterday but Coco (Ho) got me in Round 1 so I’m happy to get some wins under my belt today and surf well. The field is so tough now but I’m through to the quarterfinals and I’m hoping to keep the momentum going.’
When women’s competition resumes, up first will be Tyler Wright, 18, and Courtney Conlogue (USA), 20, in quarterfinal 1.
Event organisers will reconvene tomorrow at 6.30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.
Highlights from the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be available via quiksilverlive.com.
For more information, log onto www.ASPWorldTour.com.
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 15.26 def Paige Hareb (NZL) 12.10;
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) 12.50 def Rebecca Woods (AUS) 12.50;
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.63 def Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 14.60; Heat 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.43 def Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 14.30;
Heat 5: Alana Blanchard (HAW) 13.27 def Malia Manuel (HAW) 8.50;
Heat 6: Silvana Lima (BRA) 16.36 def Sage Erickson (USA) 14.27
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS: Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.67, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.16, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 9.17; Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.96, Coco Ho (HAW) 17.33, Silvana Lima (BRA) 7.34; Heat 3: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 16.00, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.34, Laura Enever (AUS) 11.90; Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 18.43, Pauline Ado (FRA) 13.20, Lakey Peterson (USA) 13.17
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 RESULTS: Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.17 def Silvana Lima (BRA) 14.16; Heat 2: Alana Blanchard (HAW) 17.87 def Coco Ho (HAW) 17.30; Heat 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.47 def Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.80; Heat 4: Pauline Ado (FRA) 13.83 def Laura Enever (AUS) 10.77
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS: Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) v Courtney Conlogue (USA);
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) v Alana Blanchard (HAW);
Heat 3: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF v Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS);
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) v Pauline Ado (FRA)
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA);
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Travis Logie (ZAF), Dusty Payne (HAW);
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW), Kai Otton (AUS), Patrick Gudauskas (USA);
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Willian Cardoso (BRA);
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Kolohe Andino (USA), Dane Reynolds (USA);
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Brent Dorrington (AUS);
Heat 7: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT);
Heat 8: Josh Kerr (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Nat Young (USA);
Heat 9: Julian Wilson (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Adam Melling (AUS);
Heat 10: Owen Wright (AUS), Michel Bourez (PYF), Filipe Toledo (BRA);
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA);
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF), CJ Hobgood (USA), Glenn Hall (IRL)
