GILBERT’S FINDING A NEW FIGHT IN SURF
KARLA Gilbert has called on her experience in the slog to add more glory to her glittering resume at the SUP Titles.
The former ironwoman champion claimed the open women’s title at Palm Beach, with Lincoln Dews taking out the men’s crown on the second day of competition.
Battling variable onshore winds with a 1m easterly swell, Gilbert held off NSW’s Terrene Black and Olivia Hall after the former made the most of the waves to clock a time of 35min 47sec.
“The first couple of laps were just ironing out the kinks from (Wednesday’s) race, my arms were a bit tired but I tend to warm up during the race and I do love a run leg,” Gilbert said.
“You never know if you’re going to get hit going out through the waves so you just have to keep grinding it out.”
The open men’s technical race had Queenslander Dews take an early lead which proved telling against 2016 hampion James Casey.
“It can be hard racing on the Gold Coast with lots of wind and water moving but all the guys were flying out there today,” Lincoln said.
In round one of the open women’s SUP Surfing 2016 runner up Hannah Finlay-Jones (NSW) was on fire and with two 7.00 rides up her sleeve she beat Gold Coast local and two-time world open SUP Surfing winner Shakira Westdorp.
The action will continue over the next two days, with SUP Surfing champions set to be crowned.