Tyler’s world dented

TYLER Wright’s hopes of defending her World Surf League title have evaporated after she was forced with withdraw from a third consecutive championship tour event due to illness.

Wright, who was diagnosed with influenza A earlier this year, has pulled out of this week’s event at Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in California.

The two-time world champ confirmed her withdrawal from the inaugural Surf Ranch Pro in an Instagram post yesterday morning.

“Sad to be missing another event, unfortunately though, due to ongoing illness I am having to withdraw from the Surf Ranch Pro,” she said before wishing her rivals good luck.

Wright previously withdrew from the J-Bay Open and US Open and posted in July after withdrawing from her second consecutive event she was “still a long way from full strength”.

With athletes only able to ditch their two worst results of the season, Wright has no chance of retaining her world title given she will have to carry an injury result – the same as a 13th placing – in her final points tally.

An incredibly consistent performer on tour since her breakthrough world title in 2016, Wright had already had an inconsistent year by her high standards, failing to make the quarter-finals at Bells Beach and Rio.

And her flu diagnosis has knocked her totally out of contention for the world crown. With three rounds left in the season, Tweed Coaster Stephanie Gilmore is on track for a record-equalling seventh world title but remains locked in a battle with American Lakey Peterson.

Gilmore has won three events this year and heads into the Surf Ranch Pro having made the final of the US Open in July.

The Surf Ranch Pro, the first world tour event held on an artificially generated wave, starts on Thursday at the World Surf League facility in Lemoore, California.