Andrew shows off her talent

RISING Australian surfer Keely Andrew has reached the second semi-final of her burgeoning career at the world championship event at Lower Trestles in California.

The 22-year-old was dominant in upsetting local Sage Erickson in the quarter-finals, laying down a score of 18.47 from a possible 20 on Thursday. It was too good for Erickson despite the American coming off a victory at the recent US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach.

Andrew will face another local hope, world No.3 Courtney Conlogue, for a place in the decider.

“I really enjoyed that heat with Sage [Erickson],” Andrew said. “Just knowing that every heat I have to lift my performance is pretty exciting.

“It’s nice to finally show the world what I can do and it was great to let loose and get really good waves out there.”

A win over last year’s world championship runner-up Conlogue would see world No.12 Andrew, from Mooloolaba in Queensland, go one better than her only previous semifinal appearance last year in Hawaii.

World title contenders and fellow Australians Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

World No.2 Fitzgibbons lost 14.06 to 13.43 to Conlogue but her championship push remains on track after Tour leader and defending Trestles champion, Tyler Wright, lost in the fourth round.

“It was a pivotal moment of the year. It didn’t go my way but I fought right to the end,” Fitzgibbons said.

“But I’m still right there ... I think after all these years, I feel well qualified to be in that position.

“There’s still more events to go. I love the conditions in Europe and they always cough up a few surprises.”