The Fiji Pro saw history unfold. For Fantasy teams that took Ross Williams' advice, the finale was all the sweeter.
The 2015 Fiji Pro became one of the most historic contests in professional surfing history, as event champ Owen Wright (AUS) recorded two perfect heats. Meanwhile, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) brought one of the most inspiring performances of the season to the Fiji Women's Pro, battling injury to win the event for the second consecutive year.
As the Championship Tour heads into the back half of the season, Fantasy Surfing points gain have even greater impact on your overall standing. The biggest takeaway from Fiji? Take the free advice.
If you read Ross Williams' Start 'Em, Sit 'Em you probably had a good event, as every single one of his starts made it to Round 3. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) made it all the way to the Quarterfinals, doubling down on 20-point bonuses with wins in Round 1 and Round 4.
Owen Wright (AUS) surfed in every single round of the event on his road to victory. But with perfect heats in Round 5 and the Final, Wright didn't need to skip any rounds to add bonuses to your bottom line. Only 19 percent of managers picked the goofyfooted, Australian tube hunter, so those teams had a good chance at pulling away from the rest of the pack in this event.
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Owen Wright made history during the 2015 Fiji Pro with not one, but two perfect heats (20.00 points total). His feat began when he tackled this cavernous wave in the first five minutes of his Round 5 heat. He wowed the channel, the commentators, and the judges, who were unanimous in scoring the performance a perfect 10. Click on the right to see the other three 10-point-rides.
- WSL / Stephen Robertson
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Just when it looked like Wright couldn't increase his score any further with an 8.93 and perfect 10, he did the unthinkable and added another perfect 10. Wright carved his name into history during Round 5.
- WSL / Kirstin
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Wright looked dangerous in the Final. With a 9.60 already locked in, the Aussie logged significant tube time for a perfect 10, his third of the event.
- WSL / Kirstin
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Wright then backed up his first 10 with a second, stamping his name into the surfing history books.
- WSL / Kirstin
Semifinalist Jeremy Flores (FRA), Williams' dark horse pick, earned his best result of the season in Fiji and surfed his way into the No. 2 overall position on the Fantasy event leaderboard. Flores may have finished equal third, but points-wise he came out ahead of Julian Wilson (AUS), who surfed in the Final.
Joel Parkinson (AUS) also had his best finish of the season, making it as far as the Quarterfinals and, with his perfect 10 in Round 4, earning one of the best scorelines for the event. Parkinson managed to come in fourth overall in Fantasy, just behind Wilson and ahead of Taj Burrow (AUS), both of whom surfed further into the event.
Former World Champion Joel Parkinson finds one of the biggest barrels of the 2015 Fiji Pro for a perfect 10.
Of all surfers to exit in Round 3, the biggest shockers were Jeep Rankings Leader Adriano de Souza (BRA) and World No. 2 Filipe Toledo (BRA). Their Fantasy points were equally disappointing to the respective 28 and 34 percent of teams who decided to start the frontrunners of the Brazilian Storm.
The unexpected heroes of the event, Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Dane Reynolds (USA) had incredible performances and points to match. Started by only seven and six percent respectively, the rookie and wildcard caused major ripples on both the elite and Fantasy rankings. Ferreira eliminated 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 5 and Reynolds took down De Souza in Round 3.
Sixty-nine percent of Fantasy teams bet along with Rosy Hodge that Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) would return to form in Fiji. And return she did, earning the highest Fantasy score on her road to victory at the Fiji Women's Pro.
Bianca Buitendag sliced and diced her way to a 9.43 in Round 1.
Hodge also made the right calls on Tier C surfer Laura Enever (AUS) and dark horse Bianca Buitendag (ZAF). Started by 25 and seven percent respectively, the Aussie and South African chargers rose to the occasion in Fiji. Buitendag surfed her way to runner-up in the event and in Fantasy points.
Heavy-wave charger Laura Enever (AUS) was defeated in the Quarterfinals, but earned the fifth-most Fantasy points overall. Enever finished ahead of Semifinalist Lakey Peterson (USA) in total points earned.
Laura Enever sends spray to the sky for an excellent range score in Round 1.
Rookie Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) continues to impress in events and on Fantasy teams. Like Enever, the young Hawaiian was also defeated in the Quarterfinals, but she managed to earn earn the fourth-highest point total.
Last year's Rookie of the Year Johanne Defay (FRA), in a high-scoring Semifinal, earned her best result of the season and finished third overall in Fantasy points.
Don't miss the Top 34's venture into the open, traveling halfway around the globe for Stop No. 6 the J-Bay Open, which begins July 8, 2015. Meanwhile, the Top 17 prepare to face off at Huntington Beach for the Vans US Open of Surfing starting July 27, 2015. Both events will be broadcast LIVE on the World Surf League homepage and the WSL App.
Reality Check: Fijian Fantasy Exposed
WSL
The 2015 Fiji Pro became one of the most historic contests in professional surfing history, as event champ Owen Wright (AUS) recorded two perfect heats. Meanwhile, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) brought one of the most inspiring performances of the season to the Fiji Women's Pro, battling injury to win the event for the second consecutive year.
As the Championship Tour heads into the back half of the season, Fantasy Surfing points gain have even greater impact on your overall standing. The biggest takeaway from Fiji? Take the free advice.
Fiji Pro
If you read Ross Williams' Start 'Em, Sit 'Em you probably had a good event, as every single one of his starts made it to Round 3. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) made it all the way to the Quarterfinals, doubling down on 20-point bonuses with wins in Round 1 and Round 4.
Owen Wright (AUS) surfed in every single round of the event on his road to victory. But with perfect heats in Round 5 and the Final, Wright didn't need to skip any rounds to add bonuses to your bottom line. Only 19 percent of managers picked the goofyfooted, Australian tube hunter, so those teams had a good chance at pulling away from the rest of the pack in this event.
Semifinalist Jeremy Flores (FRA), Williams' dark horse pick, earned his best result of the season in Fiji and surfed his way into the No. 2 overall position on the Fantasy event leaderboard. Flores may have finished equal third, but points-wise he came out ahead of Julian Wilson (AUS), who surfed in the Final.
Joel Parkinson (AUS) also had his best finish of the season, making it as far as the Quarterfinals and, with his perfect 10 in Round 4, earning one of the best scorelines for the event. Parkinson managed to come in fourth overall in Fantasy, just behind Wilson and ahead of Taj Burrow (AUS), both of whom surfed further into the event.
Of all surfers to exit in Round 3, the biggest shockers were Jeep Rankings Leader Adriano de Souza (BRA) and World No. 2 Filipe Toledo (BRA). Their Fantasy points were equally disappointing to the respective 28 and 34 percent of teams who decided to start the frontrunners of the Brazilian Storm.
The unexpected heroes of the event, Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Dane Reynolds (USA) had incredible performances and points to match. Started by only seven and six percent respectively, the rookie and wildcard caused major ripples on both the elite and Fantasy rankings. Ferreira eliminated 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 5 and Reynolds took down De Souza in Round 3.
Fiji Women's Pro
Sixty-nine percent of Fantasy teams bet along with Rosy Hodge that Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) would return to form in Fiji. And return she did, earning the highest Fantasy score on her road to victory at the Fiji Women's Pro.
Hodge also made the right calls on Tier C surfer Laura Enever (AUS) and dark horse Bianca Buitendag (ZAF). Started by 25 and seven percent respectively, the Aussie and South African chargers rose to the occasion in Fiji. Buitendag surfed her way to runner-up in the event and in Fantasy points.
Heavy-wave charger Laura Enever (AUS) was defeated in the Quarterfinals, but earned the fifth-most Fantasy points overall. Enever finished ahead of Semifinalist Lakey Peterson (USA) in total points earned.
Rookie Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) continues to impress in events and on Fantasy teams. Like Enever, the young Hawaiian was also defeated in the Quarterfinals, but she managed to earn earn the fourth-highest point total.
Last year's Rookie of the Year Johanne Defay (FRA), in a high-scoring Semifinal, earned her best result of the season and finished third overall in Fantasy points.
Don't miss the Top 34's venture into the open, traveling halfway around the globe for Stop No. 6 the J-Bay Open, which begins July 8, 2015. Meanwhile, the Top 17 prepare to face off at Huntington Beach for the Vans US Open of Surfing starting July 27, 2015. Both events will be broadcast LIVE on the World Surf League homepage and the WSL App.
Johanne Defay
Johanne Defay of France has secured preliminary qualification to represent France at the 2024 Olympics.
The semifinal waves from both Caitlin Simmers and Johanne Defay that took them to the Women's final.
Johanne Defay has kept her winning momentum from Portugal alive through the Quarterfinals as she ends wildcard Ellie Harrison's dream run,
A battle of CT icons Johanne Defay and Sally Fitzgibbons at Bells Beach witnessed back-and-forth hammers with Defay's 7.67 and 7.27 besting
Reunion Island's own Johanne Defay battled her way atop the podium against long-time rival Tyler Wright and earned her first CT win since
Fiji Pro
The Australian became the first person ever to score two perfect heats in a single event.
The big man scored not one, but two perfect 20-point heats on his way to winning the Fiji event in 2015.
The world's best surfers are gathering in the South Pacific to meet up with some solid swell on the horizon. Get a head start of your Fiji
Don't miss the Fiji Pro on ABC's World of X Games July 4 at 2:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
See some of the greatest moments from the historic 2015 Fiji Pro, through the lenses of Surfing Magazine.