Gilmore Takes Leading Role in Round One

Round One of the Women's Oi Rio Pro got underway late in the afternoon Tuesday with the ladies taking to the choppy lineup after enduring a full day at the beach watching the opening round of Men's competition. Due to limited access at the Grumari nature preserve athletes had to arrive early, which made for a long day of observing.

By the time the women hit the water it looked like many were releasing some pent up frustration, as the performances were electric. Here are the Round One winners listed in order of who had the highest score.

Steph Leads Way

1:07

The six-time champ led her first heat of the Oi Rio Pro from wire-to-wire.

Stephanie Gilmore hasn't had the most consistent season, and nothing near her best in terms of results, but when it comes to her actual surfing many are arguing it's better than ever during her brighter moments. On Tuesday she opened with another won, putting both Alessa Quizon and Johanne Defay in a combination situation by heat's end. Steph's Score: 15.93

Wright Digs In

1:18

How the Australian ran away with the heat victory at Grumari.

Tyler Wright loves nothing more than matching power with power. At Grumari, she was actively seeking targets to destroy, and doing a mighty good job of it. Her hacks earned her a comfortable win over Coco Ho and Nikki Van Dijk. Tyler's Score: 15.10

Conlogue's Run Continues

1:46

Get a look at how the battle between Courtney Conlogue, Bronte Macaulay and Silvana Lima unfolded.

While Gilmore's volatility index has been rising, Conlogue has been the steady Blue Chip stock of the women's bunch in 2016. Her mental toughness, even more than her stellar surfing, is what's making her the toughest draw on the women's side at the moment. Conlogue will never, ever, roll over. Courtney's Score: 14.76

Keely Andrew Makes Goood

0:50

Competition heats up at the Oi Rio Women's Pro with big moves from rookie Keely Andrew.

Rookie Keely Andrew netted what's arguably her best win of the season during her tough Round One match two of the fiercest competitors on the women's side, Tatiana Weston-Webb and Malia Manuel. The Australian earned a hard-fought win with some stylish carves that made everyone take notice. Keely's Score: 13.17

Sally's Squeaker

9:24

Sally Fitzgibbons vs. Bianca Buitendag vs. Laura Enever at Grumari.

Sally Fitzgibbons just slipped by her fellow competitors Laura Enever and Bianca Buitendag in the first heat of the women's event. The see-saw battle was the closest of the entire round. Enever couldn't find a backup to her highest scoring ride of the heat, giving Sally a squeaker win. Sally's Score: 12.50

Sage's Stunner

1:16

A look at how Sage Erickson topped Carissa Moore and Chelsea Tuach in Round One.

No doubt the biggest upset of the day came in Heat 5 as Sage Erickson got the better of Carissa Moore in the tricky conditions. Erickson was surfing with an inspired amount of rhythm and flow, tagging all her targets with a healthy dose of good style. Meanwhile, Moore and rookie Chelsea Tuach never were able to get anything going. Sage's Score: 12.40

Round Two Matches
Heat 1. Malia Manuel vs. Alessa Quizon
Heat 2. Bianca Buitendag vs. Laura Enever
Heat 3. Carissa Moore vs. Silvana Lima
Heat 4. Tatiana Weston-Webb vs. Coco Ho
Heat 5. Johanne Defay vs. Chelsea Tuach
Heat 6. Nikki Van Dijk vs. Bronte Macaulay