A SHOCKER FOR STEPH
GILMORE’S EARLY EXIT PAIN:
STEPHANIE Gilmore’s world title hopes are not in tatters but she cannot afford another slip if she is to snare a record-equalling seventh World Surf League crown after a shock second round knockout at the US Open.
Gilmore was pitched into the knockout heat after losing her non-elimination Round 1 encounter with Tatiana Weston-Webb and fell to French wildcard Maud Le Car, leaving her with a 13th placing from the event.
Le Car put pressure on Gilmore with an early score of 6.67 and while Gilmore hit back with a 5.17, she was unable to find a strong back-up score, while Le Car’s 4.17 gave her a high-profile scalp in her first championship tour event.
“Stephanie (Gilmore) is one of my favourite surfers and I watch her surf every time she’s on,” Le Car said.
“She’s just really inspiring and I love her surfing. I didn’t have any expectation and have nothing to lose, so I’m just enjoying the opportunity, and just want to show a little bit of my surfing.”
The second-round loss is Gilmore’s worst result in 2017 and puts her behind the eight ball in her title chase given she sits behind current champ Tyler Wright and fellow Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons.
But with surfers able to discard their worst two results at the end of the season, Gilmore is still in contention given her results earlier in the year.
But with a ninth placing at the Fiji Open already to her name, Gilmore cannot afford to finish outside the quarterfinals in any of the final four events of the year if she is to snare the title.
Wright has the chance to extend her championship lead in Gilmore’s absence and escaped any chance of an early knockout, advancing directly to Round 3 with a win in her opening heat.
Wright’s efforts last year could provide inspiration for Gilmore, with the former Gold Coaster recovering from a second-round loss at Fiji to go on and finish third at the US Open and then win the Swatch Trestles Pro in a Californian swing that helped snare a maiden world crown.
“Last year at this event and Trestles, I spent a couple of months here, which set up my whole run through those events and continued into France and Portugal as well,” Wright said.
Gilmore and Wright are not the only title contender.
Fitzgibbons and Courtney Conlogue have also won events this year and are through to Round 3 at Huntington Beach, although Conlogue only narrowly survived Round 2.
STEPHANIE (GILMORE) IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SURFERS AND I WATCH HER SURF EVERY TIME ... FRENCH WILDCARD MAUD LE CAR