After six, consecutive lay days, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast roared back to life with the world’s best female surfers contesting Rounds 2 and 3 in building surf at Snapper Rocks...
As the Roxy Pro got back under way once again, 2010 ASP Women’s World Runner-Up and Red Bull-backed surfer Sally Fitzgibbons continued her momentum-building campaign today, besting opponents Coco Ho and Courtney Conlogue in their Round 3 clash. Under the new ASP Women’s World Title event format, Round 3 is a three-woman, non-elimination round with the winner advancing directly to the quarter finals and second and being relegated to Round 4.
"There should be a little window for us to score some good conditions and get on the Snapper.”
“I’m pretty excited for the quarter finals,” Fitzgibbons said. “There’s this swell that is coming, and they will probably run the men in the best conditions seeing that they have the most competitors left, but there should be a little window for us to score some good conditions and get the Snapper.”
The opening stop of the 2011 ASP Women’s World Title season, also saw a return to form for reigning four-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore, who bounced back after an uncharacteristic Round 1 loss wirh the dispatch of wildcard Sarah Mason in Round 2, before exacting revenge upon rookie gunslinger Tyler Wright in Round 3.
“It was a hard heat,” Gilmore said. “It doesn’t get any easier now, especially with them [Enever and Wright] and without the jet skis. It really tests the fitness of all of the girls. It boosted my confidence to win against Sarah Mason and I definitely wasn’t expecting to surf against both Tyler and Laura in Round 3. It was tough.”
Recovering from both an extended stay out of the line-up earlier this year and a Round 1 loss, Gilmore’s performance today provided a much-needed rejuvenation for Australia’s golden girl.
“I definitely feel some relief,” Gilmore said. “It’s just such a giant mixed of emotions. There are nerves still because I made some mistakes in that last heat. I guess it’s learning again. Every year is like starting again and this year with the time off because of the injury I feel like I’m starting at the back of the pack. It’s cool though, I kind of enjoy that. It’s something to work towards and it’s a good challenge.”
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