The Top 17 kick off competition at Honolua Bay at the final women's WCT event of the year.
After three consecutive lay days, the Target Maui Pro kicked off with a bang. Tyler Wright (AUS) put her fellow World Title contenders -- Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) -- on red alert when she earned a near-perfect 18.90 heat total in the opening round at Honolua Bay.
“I try not to worry about the competition in my heats,†said Wright. “I love it when the girls are surfing really well and, if anything, it inspires me to go harder. When I get a wave I just want to do my best on it and that's all I'm really about when I'm out there.
"My brain is very clear when I'm surfing and I just think about creating lines. I'm not very artistic on land but when it comes to being in the water I love being creative with it. That's what I really enjoy and that's when I do my best surfing.â€
Tyler Wright scored a second nine-pointer in her Round 1 heat of the Target Maui Pro with multiple vertical hacks.
All three of the potential Title winners won their heats, which allowed them to advance into Round 3. Their success continues the three-way race -- one of the most intense in recent memory. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), who mathematically has the greatest chance of clinching the 2014 World Title, had a slow heat but was able to manage an excellent-range score and advance. She has never lost a heat in Maui and continued her winning streak today, getting the better of her opponents from Hawaii, Coco Ho and wildcard Paige Alms.
"The ocean can be the hardest fourth competitor in the heat," Gilmore said. "I've had a lot of experience here and I know it can be very temperamental. I've just always been able to find that patience and wait for the right waves.â€
Fitzgibbons also won her opening heat, defeating Alana Blanchard (HAW) and Dimity Stoyle (AUS).
“There's been an exciting build-up because it's the last event and the Title race is still going," Fitzgibbons said. "With all that circulating it's been great to put the rashie on and paddle out. I'm really looking forward to the next round and I'm looking to put a few more things into play and step up my performance.â€
Other standout surfers included California's Courtney Conlogue (USA), who earned the first nine-point ride of the event -- a 9.57 -- and South Africa's Bianca Buitendag, who scored a 9.80 in Heat 6 for the highest single-wave score of the day.
The South African showed her strong backside skills to earn the high score of opening day.
“I've been here for the last 10 days and every time the swell gets bigger than 3 feet there's so many people out here, so to share that with just two other girls is very enjoyable," Buitendag said. "This is just the start of a long race. We have two more rounds before the Quarterfinals start so it's important to get a good start."
Check out the complete results, catch every scored wave on demand with the ASP Heat Analyzer, and tune in daily to watch LIVE.
Action Kicks Off at Target Maui Pro
WSL
After three consecutive lay days, the Target Maui Pro kicked off with a bang. Tyler Wright (AUS) put her fellow World Title contenders -- Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) -- on red alert when she earned a near-perfect 18.90 heat total in the opening round at Honolua Bay.
“I try not to worry about the competition in my heats,†said Wright. “I love it when the girls are surfing really well and, if anything, it inspires me to go harder. When I get a wave I just want to do my best on it and that's all I'm really about when I'm out there.
"My brain is very clear when I'm surfing and I just think about creating lines. I'm not very artistic on land but when it comes to being in the water I love being creative with it. That's what I really enjoy and that's when I do my best surfing.â€
All three of the potential Title winners won their heats, which allowed them to advance into Round 3. Their success continues the three-way race -- one of the most intense in recent memory. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), who mathematically has the greatest chance of clinching the 2014 World Title, had a slow heat but was able to manage an excellent-range score and advance. She has never lost a heat in Maui and continued her winning streak today, getting the better of her opponents from Hawaii, Coco Ho and wildcard Paige Alms.
"The ocean can be the hardest fourth competitor in the heat," Gilmore said. "I've had a lot of experience here and I know it can be very temperamental. I've just always been able to find that patience and wait for the right waves.â€
Fitzgibbons also won her opening heat, defeating Alana Blanchard (HAW) and Dimity Stoyle (AUS).
“There's been an exciting build-up because it's the last event and the Title race is still going," Fitzgibbons said. "With all that circulating it's been great to put the rashie on and paddle out. I'm really looking forward to the next round and I'm looking to put a few more things into play and step up my performance.â€
Other standout surfers included California's Courtney Conlogue (USA), who earned the first nine-point ride of the event -- a 9.57 -- and South Africa's Bianca Buitendag, who scored a 9.80 in Heat 6 for the highest single-wave score of the day.
“I've been here for the last 10 days and every time the swell gets bigger than 3 feet there's so many people out here, so to share that with just two other girls is very enjoyable," Buitendag said. "This is just the start of a long race. We have two more rounds before the Quarterfinals start so it's important to get a good start."
Check out the complete results, catch every scored wave on demand with the ASP Heat Analyzer, and tune in daily to watch LIVE.
Tyler Wright
Surfing with power, conviction and purpose, Wright's victory at the Tweed Coast Pro was more than another just another win.
Wright picked up where she left off last year, while Ewing came into the Australian Grand Slam with something to prove.
Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright dominate the Quarterfinals with back-to-back 8-point rides at the Tweed Coast Pro.
Dropping the heat scores of the day, Stephanie Gilmore and Owen Wright got right to work at the Tweed Coast Pro,
A Green Alert has been issued for the first of three Australian Grand Slam events, the Tweed Coast Pro.
Target Maui Pro
The Maui Women's Pro has hosted some of the most dramatic finales in the history of women's surfing. This year will be no different.
See who put up the big numbers at the 2014 Target Maui Pro.
Courtney Conlogue finds a pristine right to toy with.
Relive the waves, the sounds, and the drama with the songs from 2014's contests in Hawaii.
Lost Surfboards' Matt Biolos tells us about Moore's weapon of choice for the Target Maui Pro.