BOTH of the South Coast's two remaining hopes the 2021 Margaret River Pro, Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright, bowed out during Thursday's quarter-finals at Main Break.
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In the six-to-eight foot surf, at the fourth stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), Gerroa's Fitzgibbons went head-to-head with seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in quarter-final four - to determine the last semi-finalist.
The match-up did not disappoint with two of Australia's greats going toe-to-toe in pumping Main Break surf.
Fitzgibbons started strong with two decent scores, while Gilmore sat patiently and waited for a bigger set.
Eventually, that set presented itself and Gilmore made the most of it, posting a near-perfect 9.50 (out of a possible 10) with two massive frontside gouges.
"There were so many great waves in the heats before ours and then it seemed to get really slow," Gilmore said.
"I just had to hold my nerve and be patient as I knew Sally would keep busy and build a house, and I just needed to get a good wave and do what I do.
"It worked, but it could have gone the other way.
"It was a good battle with Sally, we've had a lot over our careers.
"It feels really good to break the quarters. I haven't done that this year.
"I feel like this whole event I haven't had an opportunity to hit the lip so it was nice to get that great wave.
"The waves have been so good here all week. It's good to be back in West Australia."
Culburra Beach's Wright, who was this week crowned as Surfing Australia's Female Athlete of the Year, didn't fare any better, falling to Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb in quarter-final two.
The former St Johns student's 14.17 wasn't enough to overcome her rival's 16.23.
Action has already been called off on Friday, due to poor wind conditions but when surfing resumes, Gracetown's Bronte Macaulay will take on Weston-Webb, with Gilmore battling Hawaii's Carissa Moore.
In the men's competition, the four quarter-finals are Hawaii's John John Florence versus United States' Griffin Colapinto, South Africa's Jordy Smith up against Merewether Beach's Ryan Callinan, Hawaii's Seth Moniz battling South Africa's Matthew McGillivray and Brazilian pair Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo duking it out.
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Courtney Ward
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
