RACE FOR TOP BILLING HEATING UP
A SERIES of third-round upsets at the World Surf League event in Bali has opened up the race for top spot in the women’s rankings.
World No.1 Caroline Marks and second-placed Malia Manuel were both eliminated at Keramas as four Australians made it through to the quarters.
Brazilian veteran Silvana Lima will face Sally Fitzgibbons after eliminating the 17-year-old Marks, while Bells Beach winner Courtney Conlogue set up a last-eight showdown with Stephanie Gilmore by eliminating Manuel.
The results leave the race to leave Bali with the championship lead wide open with world No.3 Conlogue the highestranked surfer left.
World champion Gilmore has put herself in with a shot of the No.1 ranking after easing past fellow Aussie Keely Andrew.
Gilmore’s 14.34 out of 20 was the highest two-wave score of the day with Andrew only able to post 6.37 in reply in calm conditions with waves between one and four feet.
“Last year at Keramas, I was left waiting for a score and that is a scary place to be,” Gilmore said.
“I just wanted to make sure I got two decent waves and finished them.
“My loss here was a real turning point in my season. I love it here and want to perform well.”
Conlogue, a two-time championship runner-up, was excited about the challenge of taking on seven-time world champion Gilmore for a semi-final berth. “She was looking really in form in that heat and it’s going to be game on, as always,” she said.