Burleigh Baum

The in-form 19-year-old from Athlone Park took to the clean 4-5' lines that rolled through for the Breaka Burleigh Pro Women’s, won by Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia. Baum surfed through to the quarter-finals, where she was eliminated by ASP number 6 Malia Manuel, from Hawaii.

Baum, who was ranked 17th on the ASP Women’s Star Series last year, progressed through three rounds of four and three-person heats before coming unstuck against the young Hawaiian in her first one on one.

Baum collected R10,000 and a valuable 1,560 points from the event, which was won by ASP No.2 and event top seed, Fitzgibbons, who narrowly defeated Courtney Conlogue (USA), the ASP No. 5, in the final.

South Africa’s Rosanne Hodge (East London), who spent four seasons (2007-2010) competing on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT), the highest level of women’s surfing, finished equal 9th at Burleigh.

Bianca Buitendag (George), who starts her rookie year on the Women’s WCT on the Gold Coast in March, placed equal 19th and Faye Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) ended equal 55th in her first ASP event after a serious injury that sidelined her for the second half of last year.

The 4-Star ASP rated  men’s Breaka Burleigh Pro has been reduced to the last eight with former two-time ASP World Champion,  Gold Coast local and current ASP No. 3, Mick Fanning, a surprise elimination after being ousted by fellow Australian Mitch Crews and Marco Fernandez (BRA).

The men’s champion will be crowned on Sunday and all the action can be followed live at the event website starting around midnight (SA time) tonight.

David van Zyl (Glenashley) and Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay), the only two SA surfer’s in the men’s draw, finished 49th and 65th respectively.

Breaka Burleigh Pro Women's Six Star

Final

Sally Fitzgibbons (Aus) 16:00, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.90
Semi-Finals:
Semi 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.73, Malia Manuel (Haw) 13.17
Semi 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.77, Laura Enever (Aus) 14.47

Quarter-Finals

Q 1: Malia Manuel (Haw) 13.17, Sarah Baum (ZAF) 12.10
Q 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (Aus) 15.54, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 13.40
Q 3: Laura Enever (Aus) 13.67, Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.33
Q 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 18.33, Alessa Quizon (HAW) 15.34

Breaka Burleigh Pro Men’s Round of 16

Heat 1: Ricardo Christie (NZ) 14.33, Adam Melling (Aus) 14.13, Bede Durbidge (Aus) 12.54, Ryan Callinan (Aus) 11.90
Heat 2: Marco Fernandez (Bra) 15.60, Mitch Crews (Aus) 14.70, Mick Fanning (Aus) 14.66, Jack Duggan (Aus) 7.83
Heat 3: Owen Wright (Aus) 15.50, Brent Dorrington (Aus) 12.33, Dion Atkinson (Aus) 10.03, Cooper Chapman (Aus) 8.53
Heat 4: Alejo Muniz (Bra) 14.80, Thomas Woods (Aus) 14.03, Frederico Morais (Ptg) 13.97, Davey Cathels (Aus) 11.96