Tyler still right for title
FOR Tyler Wright, the equation is simple.
Beat Courtney Conlogue in next week’s Roxy Pro in France – the penultimate event on the World Surf League calendar – and a maiden world title is hers.
Conlogue is the only person that can halt Wright’s drive to the title and kept her slim title hopes alive with a win in the Cascais Women’s Open in Portugal on Thursday night (Australian time).
Even that is almost beyond the realm of possibility though, with Wright taking a lead of more than 5000 points into the final two events of the year.
The former Gold Coast resident had the chance to seal the title in Portugal if she won the event and world No.2 Conlogue failed to progress past the quarter-finals.
But Conlogue won her way through to the final before beating Wright 13.0-12.26 in a close decider.
It has kept her in the contest but the Californian will need to win at least one event and finish ahead of Wright in the other to deny the Australian her dream.
It’s an unlikely scenario though given the absolute dominance that Wright has displayed this season, winning four of the eight events on tour this year and finish- ing as the runner-up another competition.
“I have the same goal in going into France – to win every heat and win every final,’’ said Wright, who can prevent the title race from going to the final event of the season in Hawaii by finishing just one place higher than Conlogue in France.
“I am going to take what I’ve learned out of this (Portugal event) dealing with beach breaks and everything like that into France and start it all over again.’’
Wright is defending champion at the Roxy Pro and with coach Glenn “Micro’’ Hall in her corner, she will head into the contest confident of snaring the world title she has coveted this year.
“I’ll have Glenn there, and he’s doing great,’’ Wright said of linking with a coach for the first time this season.
“This year I know exactly what I’m doing, and working with Glenn has been absolutely amazing for this reason.
“I have never been more psyched on surfing or doing heats and the amount that I am learning.
“It is my sixth year on tour and I’ve never learned this much in my entire life. I know I am in a title race, but for me, I know what I can do and what I want to do.” www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au