The women returned to competition today for the elimination Round 2 and Santa Barbara’s Lakey Peterson faced Kauai’s Alana Blanchard in the opening bout.
Peterson’s focus, speed and power were on full display in the mid-morning conditions as she transitioned from turn to turn with ease.
Blanchard had opportunity as well but was unable find a rhythm today and will have to refocus for the upcoming event in Western Australia.
Heat 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 14.33 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 13.00
The second sudden-death Round 2 clash would see a battle of the Hawaiians, with Kauai’s Malia Manuel taking on Oahu’s Coco Ho in pumping conditions.
The evenly-matched affair would see the two natural footers share a series of exciting exchanges, with Manuel’s wave selection offering up longer walls capable of multiple combinations. Ho would decimate several two-turn combinations on her forehand as well, but Manuel would go on to take the win, eliminating Ho while advancing to Round 3.
Manuel enters the Roxy Pro Gold Coast following a successful opening season campaign on the ASP Qualification Series including a win in Newcastle and continues to carry her momentum on to the Women’s WCT stage.
Perennial ASP Women’s World Title contender Sally Fitzgibbons faced a tough match-up in Trials’ Winner and wildcard Keely Andrew in the elimination Round 2 today.
Fitzgibbons struggled to find a rhythm early on, but eventually locked into several good-scoring waves throughout the middle of the affair.
Andrew was unable to find the opportunity needed and will take the experience with her back to the Qualification Series (QS).
Courtney Conlogue would rebound in Round 2 of the Roxy Pro, dominating her heat against French rookie Johanne Defay from start to finish in ideal four foot waves at the Superbank.
Conlogue would display her full repertoire at Snapper Rocks in what would prove to be the performance of the day beginning for a full assault of snaps and carves, opening her campaign with a 9.00. The Californian would build momentum from the excellent score, taking a late drop and driving through a late barrel for a near-perfect 9.50.
Defay would have her own moment to shine, belting a searing series of forehand turns for a 7.50. Unfortunately The near perfect total needed to surpass Conlogue would prove to be too tall a task for Defay, ending her Roxy Pro campaign.
The final heat of Round 2 would see South African sophomore Bianca Buitendag take on Australian Laura Enever in an uncharacteristically slow heat considering the day’s conditions.
Buitendag would deliver calculated backhand combinations on her waves, snatching a pair of midrange scores that would prove enough for the win.
Enever would fight hard throughout the heat, but a costly slip on a crucial set wave would prove to be an unrepairable stumble in the regular-footer’s Roxy Pro campaign.
