Australia could field close to half the spots on next year’s World Surf League Tour

AUSTRALIAN women could field close to half the spots on next year’s World Surf League Tour as the sport prepares to enter a brave new era.

Sally Fitzgibbons gets ready to enter the water at the Sydney International Women's Pro. Picture: Brett Costello

LESS than four years before surfing’s historic Olympic debut, Australian women are riding an unprecedented wave of success.

As the sport prepares to head into a new era, Australians could make up close to half the field in next year’s women’s World Surf League tour.

Australia's Bronte Macaulay will surf on the world tour in 2017.

Strong results by locals at the Sydney International women’s pro at Cronulla have confirmed Australia’s place as one of the super powers of women’s surfing.

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West Australian Bronte Macauley, whose father Dave was a well-known pro surfer, will be the newest Australian on the world tour next year after she made the quarter-­finals at Cronulla yesterday.

It justified the 22-year-old’s decision to defer her teaching studies in order to chase a word tour spot.

“It’s been my dream,” Macauley said. “It’s what I’ve been working for and it’s come off. It’s very exciting.

Australia's Isabella Nichols surfs in the semi final of the Sydney International Women's Pro.

Current World Tour surfers Nikki Van Dijk and Keeley Andrew also confirmed they would be back with good results at the international world qualifying series event that pro surfer Sally Fitzgibbons bought to Australia.

The trio will join world champion Tyler Wright, six-time titleholder Stephanie Gilmore and Fitzgibbons on the 2017 world tour. It is also possible another two Australians — young gun Isabella Nichols, veteran Laura Enever or even Philippa Anderson — could crack the world tour field.

Anderson kept her slim hopes alive when she finished ­runner-up to Brazilian Silvana Lima at Cronulla. Lima, a tour veteran and mother, beat Anderson 11.30 to 8.60 in their final.

“I’ll take second any day,” Anderson said. “A win would have been amazing but this is still a major ­confidence boost.”

Anderson said her runner-up placing has given her the motivation to do the qualifying series next year if she doesn’t make the world tour cut.

Silvana Lima of Brazil won the Sydney International Women's Pro. Picture: Brett Costello

“This shows I can match it with the good girls on my day,” the 24-year-old said.

Since 1989, Australia has won 20 of the 28 world women’s surfing ­titles up for grabs.

Lane Beachley holds the record for the most with her seven, while former protege Gilmore is second with six.

Nichols looked destined to feature in the final but her final 6.4 ride was deemed as interference and the score was taken off her total, which handed the semi-final win to Lima.

“I’m pretty bummed, to be honest,” Nichols said.

Lima’s victory also guaranteed her position on the 2017 tour.

“I can’t believe this. It feels amazing,” Lima said.

“I felt confident in this event and my boards were feeling great, so I think that is what really helped me to win this.

“Winning this event is right up there with winning Bells. The feeling is exactly the same.”