SURFING SURVIVAL: WORLD CHAMP’S BATTLE TO REMAIN IN MIX AT TRESTLES
FIRST a teenager gave her a fright and now world champion Tyler Wright must surf for survival at the Swatch Pro against six-time champion and Aussie rival Stephanie Gilmore.
The fourth-round matchup at Trestles, southern California, will see Wright face her third world champion at the WSL tour event after a close call against junior titleholder Macy Callaghan and then her loss to Hawaiian Carissa Moore yesterday.
Moore produced a 17.43 heat total for the second highest score of the day as she beat American Lakey Peterson (15.83) and Wright (14.60) in Round 3.
Moore is on a massive mission at Trestles to radically improve her current ranking from No.9 on the leaderboard.
“With my results this year I’m just trying to take that as an opportunity to play around with a few different manoeuvres because then I can try to push myself a little bit,’’ Moore said.
“It’s been a crazy year of growth personally and competitively.
“I’m trying to stay positive and focus on the present.
“I just want to have fun the rest of the year and whatever happens is meant to be.”
World No.4 Gilmore (14.40) lost to Brazilian Silvana Lima (18.10) in Round 3.
One of the headturners in the small conditions was world junior champion Callaghan, a 16-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
An invitee to surf at her first ever World Tour event, Callaghan showed plenty of fight in her heat against Wright, eventually finishing just 0.10 points in arrears of the world No.1.
The narrow loss was an impressive performance from the World Tour hopeful Callaghan.
“I loved it. I learned heaps,’’ Callaghan said.
“I know I have to be stronger and fitter and better.
“But this is 100 per cent what I want to do in the future.’’
If Callaghan can produce some good results in upcoming qualifying series events she could be the newest Australian rookie on the World Tour in 2018.