Honouring Women's Day
Sunday 6 March 2022 Jordy Smith, with Caster Semenya on his shirt to honour International Women's Day this Tuesday, made it to the Round of 16 in clean 5ft surf at the MEO Pro Portugal yesterday.
A BIT BUMMED: Barron Mamiya slipped out of #1 slot after losing to Jordy. Photo WSL / Diz
Current men’s World #1 Barron Mamiya (HAW) was the victim in a low-scoring affair yesterday afternoon: “It was a little hard to surf, I tried a few airs and didn’t land them,” Mamiya said. “I was stoked to get the yellow jersey, obviously I wasn’t on the tour at the beginning of the year so just to be in these events was a super big plus. After sunset, it was crazy that it happened, I didn’t really know what to do and then they told me I’m into Portugal. Every surfer dreams to be here so it was sick to get this experience and carry it on to the next one.”
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) is the new virtual leader of the men's rankings following Mamiya's elimination in the 3rd stop of the WSL Championship Tour, while in the women's, Hennessy will retain the yellow jersey for the moment, but five surfers could potentially claim it by the end of the Portuguese event.
The surf was a glassy 3-5ft to complete the women’s Round of 16 and decide the event’s Quarterfinalists as well as nine heats of the men’s Round of 32, which continues in firing surf today (Sunday).
FUTURE WORLD CHAMP? Kanoa Igarashi moved into current #1 in the world. Photo WSL / Diz
Courtney Conlogue (USA) put an end to Brisa Hennessy (CRI)’s excellent early run in 2022, and the Costa Rican will likely have to pass along the yellow jersey to another competitor when the dust settles in Peniche. Seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) came out on top of a superheat, battling with Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) for a spot into the Quarterfinals. The two Australian powerhouses found a good score with big backside turns on the lefts, and Gilmore made the difference with a higher backup. She also found one of the rare barrels of the morning to put a smile on her face and advance.
“Sally is an amazing athlete and she’s always on the hunt,” Gilmore stated. “You have to stay on top of your game and you have to want it really bad, so I was doing my best out there.”
For International Women’s Day celebrations, Gilmore’s name is being worn by two surfers in the event, Ryan Callinan (AUS) and local wildcard Afonso Antunes (PRT). She has opted to represent her compatriot Phyllis O’Donnell, the 1964 surfing world champion: “Phyllis is an idol of mine and I think for all of us women who are here today, it’s the women like Phyllis who paved the way,” Gilmore added.
“I know there are a couple of guys like Ryan and Afonso that have my name on the back of their jerseys and that means the world to me. They are both incredible surfers and Ryan is such a sweetheart. I really admire how much he surfs and the way he represents himself all over the world.”
STEPH STYLING: Stephanie Gilmore is looking on form for the 2022 season. Photo WSL / Poullenot
Five-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) won the last heat before the event went on hold through low tide and managed to score a critical three-turn combo for a 7.50 (out of a possible 10), the highest score of the day at this point. The powerful Hawaiian surfer eliminated replacement surfer Bronte Macaulay (AUS): “The waves and conditions are constantly changing, it’s tricky,” Moore explained. “Bronte is a replacement surfer so there’s no pressure on her and not making it out of the third round at Sunset gave me a little extra nerves so it felt good to make this one.”
Two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) opted to go mostly right and found a nice little barrel punctuated by a late, committed turn for a 7.50 of her own. She backed it up with a ferocious attack of a softer right to eliminate Gabriela Bryan (HAW) in equal 9th: “The conditions are getting better, the tide is filling in so there are more opportunities,” Wright said. “The barrel was a bonus. I worked really hard to be here and to feel like I’m back to being competitive again, I’m really enjoying the experience. I think everyone is lifting and it’s really notable so it’s exciting to be a part of it. You’ve got to fight to be here now and it’s pretty cool.”
HAPPY GO LUCKY: Johanne Defay faces Stephanie in the quarter-finals. Photo WSL / Diz
Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) was against the ropes in her Round of 16 bout with rookie Luana Silva (HAW), but the Brazilian stayed in the hunt and came back with two big scores, attacking the lip vertically on the lefts to take out the round’s biggest performance.
“It’s been really hard for me to click into rhythm this year and that heat just showed me that my surfing is still there and I can still compete,” said Weston-Webb, explaing her choice to honor retired figure-skater Michelle Kwan for International Women’s Day with childhood memories of greatness.
“When I was really little, the first memory I have of a competition was when I was watching Michelle Kwan at the Olympics winning her gold. It was just so beautiful, it was something that gave me so much inspiration to hopefully one day be at the Olympics and be an athlete. For me I remember that, watching it with my mom. I also wanted to say thanks to my mom, she’s always been the one that inspired me and pushed me.”
LOW SCORING HEAT: It was close against Mamiya, but Jordy's BMT prevailed. Photo WSL / Diz
Courtney Conlogue (USA), Johanne Defay (FRA), Lakey Peterson (USA) and India Robinson (AUS) complete the women’s Quarterfinals draw.
Brazil’s Filipe Toledo outsurfed the field in the men’s Round of 32, combining his lightning-fast transitions with radical turns to post a statement win over Owen Wright (AUS). The 2015 winner at Supertubos who had a rocky start to his 2022 Championship Tour campaign looks poised to break out a first big result at a wave he’s comfortable with.
Italo Ferreira (BRA) flew slightly under the radar with a discrete performance but a win nonetheless while the nightmare continues for last year’s rookie of the year and World #4 Morgan Cibilic (AUS) who is yet to break out of the Round of 32 this season.
Rip Curl Women’s Round of 16 Results
HEAT 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 11.10 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 9.04
HEAT 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 11.00 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.27
HEAT 3: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.26 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 7.50
HEAT 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.54 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 9.06
HEAT 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 13.17 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 8.07
HEAT 6: Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.17 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 6.20
HEAT 7: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 14.83 DEF. Luana Silva (HAW) 10.83
HEAT 8: India Robinson (AUS) 10.34 DEF. Malia Manuel (HAW) 9.73
Men’s Round of 32 Results
HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 11.83 DEF. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 8.03
HEAT 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.87 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 10.90
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.20 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 9.36
HEAT 4: Connor O'Leary (AUS) 12.57 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 12.50
HEAT 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.44 DEF. Owen Wright (AUS) 9.40
HEAT 6: Jake Marshall (USA) 12.93 DEF. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 9.00
HEAT 7: Conner Coffin (USA) 13.17 DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) 12.50
HEAT 8: Callum Robson (AUS) 11.93 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 11.34
HEAT 9: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 12.17 DEF. Justin Becret (FRA) 9.53
Men’s Round of 32 Matchups
HEAT 10: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) vs. Frederico Morais (PRT)
HEAT 11: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA)
HEAT 12: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
HEAT 13: Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Jackson Baker (AUS)
HEAT 14: Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Lucca Mesinas (PER)
HEAT 15: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
HEAT 16: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA)4
Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups)
QF 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
QF 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
QF 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
QF 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. India Robinson (AUS)