Fitzgibbons dream over

Ingleby a chance at title

SALLY Fitzgibbons went into the Maui Pro within touching distance of her first world title but her dream ended on the first day of competition.

The Australian surfer was the world No.1 heading into the season-ending tournament in Hawaii before a round-two loss to local 18-year-old wildcard Brisa Hennessy effectively ended her bid for the crown.

Fitzgibbons’ dream may be over for this year but the fight hasn’t gone out of her.

As she prepared to watch a rival, potentially compatriot Tyler Wright, be crowned world champion as early as this morning, Fitzgibbons vowed she would be back “better than ever’’.

“It was one of those days,’’ Fitzgibbons said.

“I was flying the Aussie flag with pride.

“I was calm and then the waves stopped and the heat ended and it was all gone.

“I have to digest it a bit and roll on. I’m still here and so is COFFS Coast surfer Harley Ingleby has kept his world longboard title chance alive after winning through his quarterfinal at the Taiwan Open.

The shock elimination of world title favourite, American Taylor Jensen, in the quarters at Jinzun Harbour yesterday, has opened the title race.

Ingleby needs to win in Taiwan to force a surf-off with Jensen for the title.

And after moving through

my dream. I’ll be back, don’t you worry about that.’’

Former men’s world champion Martin Potter summed it up best as he watched Fitzgibbons’ dream of a maiden world title torn to pieces by the energy and fearlessness of wildcard Brisa Hennessy.

“It doesn’t get any heavier than that,” Potter said.

Around an hour later, Wright bought the crowd to its feet with a near-perfect ride in to the final four with a win against another title contender – Frenchman Antoine Delpero – the two-time world champ is in with a shot.

“It’s really opened up now with Taylor (Jensen), Antoine (Delpero) and Kai (Sallas) dropping out of the event which makes things exciting,” he said.

“There’s still heats to surf so I don’t want to get to far ahead of myself and just focus on my semi-final for now.”

heat three to book herself a spot in the quarter-finals, officially ending Fitzgibbons’ world title race.

“These knock-backs make me stronger. There’s a new opportunity around the corner,’’ Fitzgibbons said.

“Hopefully one of the other Aussies brings it home now.’’

Wright is the favourite to pull it off. “I know we’re here to do a job and that’s what it comes down to,” she said.