Friday's Round Three at the Swatch Women's Pro should have been a far mellower affair than the high-stakes do-or-die battles of Round Two. After all, Friday's third round winners skip ahead to the Quarterfinals, while losers get another shot at life in Round Four.
The current World No. 1 scored a 9.70 in Round Three to lock in her lead and earn a trip to the Quarterfinals.
But the quarterfinal carrot is a highly motivating force, one that unleashes the wilder side of the world's best. On Friday at Lower Trestles we witnessed a wide spectrum of performances. The most impressive came from current rankings leader Tyler Wright. The Aussie, you'll remember, came back from a shocker of a Round One loss to return to the lineup with competitive guns blazing. In Round Two, she took down Bethany Hamilton in something of a rematch from their Fiji battle (where it was Wright who went home).
Laura Enever's pair of 6-point rides were no match for the Tyler Wright freight train on Friday. - WSL / Sean Rowland
Wright's Round Three approach was full tilt. She opened with an 8.50 and quickly followed with a 9.07, leaving Laura Enever and Sage Erickson in her wake. Enever put up a bit of a fight, but Sage never mustered a response.
Wright's extended pre-event stay in San Clemente is one likely reason why she was able to find waves others couldn't. "I've been surfing these type of conditions the last few weeks," she said afterward. "I love it."
Carissa Moore and Stephanie Gilmore are both former Swatch Pro winners, so we expected their Round Three clash to be a close one...and it was. - WSL / Sean Rowland
Friday's other mind-blowing heat for the women was the final battle of the day, which pitted Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore and rookie Keely Andrew against each other. At first, it seemed like Stephanie was repeating Tyler's untouchable performance two heats prior. She opened with a 9.10, which put her light years ahead of the field before anyone blinked.
The former event winner scores a 9.10 during her Round Three heat against Carissa Moore and Keely Andrew.
But Moore, ever the gritty competitor, fought back and overtook the lead. And that's when things got exciting. Gilmore needs only a few more points to retake the lead. With under five minutes to go, the set she needed appeared. Steph leaned into her bottom turn, set her target, and raced toward it. She could taste the quarterfinals leaning into her hack, which started beautifully...but then it happened...she caught an edge during the follow through, overcorrected, and went down. Advantage, Carissa.
But -- ah, thank the surf gods -- this was just Round Three! A tense edition of it today, but with a safety net nonetheless. When Round Four kicks off, Gilmore will face World No. 2 Courtney Conlogue for what should be one of the most intense battles of the competition.
Other winners Friday included Nikki Van Dijk, who is due for a breakthrough, and Johanne Defay, who is proving to be incredibly versatile.
Tune in Saturday at 7:30 a.m./PDT for a likely Round Four start.
Tyler Wright Torches Trestles in Swatch Pro Round Three
Anna Dimond
Friday's Round Three at the Swatch Women's Pro should have been a far mellower affair than the high-stakes do-or-die battles of Round Two. After all, Friday's third round winners skip ahead to the Quarterfinals, while losers get another shot at life in Round Four.
But the quarterfinal carrot is a highly motivating force, one that unleashes the wilder side of the world's best. On Friday at Lower Trestles we witnessed a wide spectrum of performances. The most impressive came from current rankings leader Tyler Wright. The Aussie, you'll remember, came back from a shocker of a Round One loss to return to the lineup with competitive guns blazing. In Round Two, she took down Bethany Hamilton in something of a rematch from their Fiji battle (where it was Wright who went home).
Wright's Round Three approach was full tilt. She opened with an 8.50 and quickly followed with a 9.07, leaving Laura Enever and Sage Erickson in her wake. Enever put up a bit of a fight, but Sage never mustered a response.
Wright's extended pre-event stay in San Clemente is one likely reason why she was able to find waves others couldn't. "I've been surfing these type of conditions the last few weeks," she said afterward. "I love it."
Friday's other mind-blowing heat for the women was the final battle of the day, which pitted Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore and rookie Keely Andrew against each other. At first, it seemed like Stephanie was repeating Tyler's untouchable performance two heats prior. She opened with a 9.10, which put her light years ahead of the field before anyone blinked.
But Moore, ever the gritty competitor, fought back and overtook the lead. And that's when things got exciting. Gilmore needs only a few more points to retake the lead. With under five minutes to go, the set she needed appeared. Steph leaned into her bottom turn, set her target, and raced toward it. She could taste the quarterfinals leaning into her hack, which started beautifully...but then it happened...she caught an edge during the follow through, overcorrected, and went down. Advantage, Carissa.
But -- ah, thank the surf gods -- this was just Round Three! A tense edition of it today, but with a safety net nonetheless. When Round Four kicks off, Gilmore will face World No. 2 Courtney Conlogue for what should be one of the most intense battles of the competition.
Other winners Friday included Nikki Van Dijk, who is due for a breakthrough, and Johanne Defay, who is proving to be incredibly versatile.
Tune in Saturday at 7:30 a.m./PDT for a likely Round Four start.
Nikki Van Dijk
Featuring Nikki Van Dijk, Luke Thompson, Eli Hanneman, Mateus Herdy, Leonardo Fioravanti, Frederico Morais, Macy Callaghan, Molly Picklum,
Featuring Ramzi Boukhiam, Alejo Muniz, Kade Matson, Jorgann Couzinet, Luana Silva, Moana Jones Wong, Molly Picklum, Nikki Van Dijk, Keely
Men's Semifinalists and Women's Quarters locked in for Finals Day.
Top names experience highs and lows at the third Challenger Series stop.
Hefty names were eliminated and peak-perfection witnessed from Rio Waida as finals day draws were determined.
Swatch Women's Pro
Our recommendation for Lowers? Don't overthink it.
O sul-africano Jordy Smith, 28 anos, barrou o brasileiro Filipe Toledo, 21, nas semifinais.
Jordy Smith joined the world title race on the men's tour, while Tyler Wright took a huge step toward locking it down among the women.
Jordy Smith and Tyler Wright are victorious at the Hurley Pro and Swatch Women's Pro. The WSL desk team breaks it down.
The World No. 1 -- and eventual Swatch Women's Pro winner -- was subdued but focused in her post-heat comments.