Two-time Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Sally Fitzgibbons battled Kauai’s Malia Manuel in a match that saw high-scoring action from both competitors.
Manuel drew first blood, belting an 8.50 for a series of explosive forehand turns, while Fitzgibbons fought back, locking in an 8.33. Manuel extended her lead with a solid repertoire of forehand maneuvers, notching a 7, but the Australian utilized incredible patience, waiting until the very end of the heat to catch her final wave. Fitzgibbons made it count, dismantling the set with incredible power, earning a heat-high 8.77 for the ride and a Semifinals berth.
QF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 17.84 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 13.77
Hawaiian superstars Carissa Moore and Coco Ho squared off for Quarterfinal 2 in clean conditions at Bells Beach.
Ho continued her stylish offensive through the 2014 Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach, but it was Moore’s dominant assault that ultimately posted an emphatic win and advancement through to the Semifinals.
Conditions began to deteriorate in Quarterfinal 3 as Tyler Wright and Lakey Peterson entangled in a scrappy affair, both regular-footers fighting hard for a spot in the Semifinals.
Wright made the most of the increasing onshore conditions, smashing a pair of 6s. Peterson fought back, but was unable to find the 7 needed to surpass the heat’s high score.
Despite an onshore wind cycle beginning to fill in, the final heat of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach Quarterfinals between five-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore and rookie Dimity Stoyle showcased world-class surfing with two distinctive styles.
Gilmore, a two-time Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach winner, utilized her signature blend of speed, power and progression to navigate the Bells righthanders to the tune of a 13.17 heat total.
Stoyle put up a fair challenge, offering her own pugnacious efforts that had already catapulted her into a career-best finish, but was ultimately unable to find enough opportunity to survive the affair.
Stoyle collects an Equal 5th while Gilmore advances through to the Semifinals.
Round 4
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 00.00 vs. Malia Manuel (HAW) 00.00
Courtney Conlogue suffered an ankle injury in a Beacon Point barrel during a free surf Monday. Her morning warm-up session before Round 4 revealed that treatment overnight wasn’t enough, forcing a last-minute withdrawal from the event. The decision advanced Manuel directly to the Quarterfinals.
Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 17.26 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 14.10
Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event winner Moore took on Victorian rookie Nikki Van Dijk in the first heat of the morning.
The Hawaiian set the pace, locking in her first ride with a midrange 6. Van Dijk fought back with a vengeance but Moore built momentum and earned 8.33 and 8.93 scores with powerful forehand gouges for the win.
Peterson continued her rebound following a Round 2 stumble in Western Australia, dominating her bout against powerful South African Bianca Buitendag from start to finish.
The American opened her campaign with a strong 6.67 with a fluid combination of forehand turns and continued to build momentum throughout the heat, eventually punctuating the one-sided affair with an excellent 8.67. While Buitendag scoured the lineup in an attempt to recover, the goofy-footer failed to post any substantial scores.
Stoyle continued her tear at Bells Beach, surfing with impressive composure against more seasoned competitor Laura Enever.
Stoyle dropped in first, locking in a midrange 5.00 with a series of clean forehand combinations. Enever fought to answer back, but was unable to accomplish any substantial scores. Stoyle added to her overall tally, notching a 6.50 to secure her first career Quarterfinals berth.
