Surf is all Wright in Rio
Siblings eye remarkable feat as respective WSL series leaders
Wright is just one win away, having made the quarter-finals early yesterday morning (Australian time) after beating Kanoa Igarashi and Julian Wilson in Round 4 to advance to the final eight.
Wright was forced to wait nervously on the beach after his heat, sweating on scores for his final wave, as well as that of Wilson and Igarashi to ensure he had won.
Smith, second with Wright on the championship ladder heading into the Rio Pro, was beaten by Adrian Buchan in his non-elimination Round 4 heat and needs to get past Wilson in Round 5 to join Wright in the quarters to challenge for the tour lead.
If Wright takes the yellow jersey, it would be a remarkable achievement – not only in his well-documented return from a career and lifethreatening brain injury – but because he will join sister Tyler in the lead in a first for the sport.
Tyler will share the WSL tour leader’s yellow jersey with Stephanie Gilmore heading to the next women’s tour event in Fiji after beating Johanne Defay convincingly in the Rio Pro final on Sunday night (Australian time).
The Frenchwoman was left needing a near-perfect score of 9.74 in the dying minutes, something she was unable to achieve in the glassy 1-1.2m conditions.
Wright’s win was her first of the year and she was thrilled with the result.
“It is sick to be sharing the leader’s jersey with Steph (Gilmore),” Wright said.
“It is going to be a good year. It has always been a part of my plan after the Australian leg to be in this position.
“I am feeling really good. It is cool to be working on stuff over the last year and put it into action.”
Wright paid tribute to her Rip Curl “crew”, including Laura Enever, team manager Ryan Fletcher, Mick Fanning, brother Owen and Matt Wilkinson, who chaired her up the beach after her win.
She now aims to return the favour and see Owen reclaim the yellow jersey he snared after winning the seasonopening Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks.
Three-time world champion Fanning has also reached the quarters, a move that puts his world title chase back on track after his quarter-final finish at Bells Beach.
Fanning needs to be in a position to discard his opening two results – a 13th at the Quiksilver Pro, and 25th at Margaret River – at the end of the season and will be aiming for quarter-final or better results for the rest of the year.