Gold Coast Victors

Buitendag reached the final of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by BOQ, before finishing runner-up at the first stop on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) at Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia today.

Buitendag, 20, (Victoria Bay) posted a convincing victory over Lakey Peterson (USA) in their semi-final match-up held in excellent 4-5' waves to reach the final of a WCT event for the first time in just her second year at the top level of women’s surfing.

The 2013 ASP Women’s Rookie of the Year’s hopes of a fairytale maiden victory were dashed by five time ASP Women’s World Champion and Snapper Rocks local, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), who won her fifth Roxy Pro title with a dominant showing.

Buitendag’s confidence boosting run to the final, during which she also defeated 2013 ASP No. 2 Tyler Wright (AUS) in the quarter-finals, Alessa Quizon (HAW) in Round 4 and Laura Enever (AUS) in Round 2, sees the South African jump to No. 2 on the 2014 Women’s WCT going into the next event, the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro in Western Australia, starting on 2 April.

The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by BOQ, Stop No. 1 on the Samsung Galaxy ASP WCT, was won by Gabriel Medina, 19, who became the first Brazilian winner of the event and the first goofy-foot surfer (rides with right foot in front) to clinch the title since 2004.

Medina scored a sensational come-from-behind victory over home-town favourite and 2012 ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson who had led throughout the 35 minute final after opening his account with a ride of 9.0 (out of 10). As he had done against Taj Burrow (AUS) in the semis and three-time ASP World Champ, Mick Fanning (AUS), in the quarters, Medina kept his challenge going until the final seconds of each heat, scoring buzzer-beating victories on each occasion.

South Africa’s Travis Logie finished 13th overall after defeating Hawaiian prodigy John John Florence in Round 2 before falling to Burrow in Round 3. Jordy Smith, ranked No. 4 at the end of 2013, was uncharacteristically eliminated early in the event to finish equal 25th.

Final
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.80 def. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 10.47
Semi-Finals
Semi-final 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.10 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 13.40
Semi-final 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 15.90 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.50
Final
Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.33 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.27
Semi-Finals
Semi-final 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.13 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.10
Semifinal 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.70 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.67