How Sally Fitzgibbons, Tyler Wright, Steph Gilmore, Courtney Conlogue, Carissa Moore can win
IT’S official. Only five women — including three current or past champions — can win this year’s women’s world surfing crown in Hawaii and three of them are Aussies.
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IT’S official. Only five women — including three current or past champions — can win this year’s women’s world surfing crown in Hawaii and three of them are Aussies.
Defending champion Tyler Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons are favourites for the title but six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore is still in with a chance, albeit a remote one.
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The only surfers capable of beating an Australian to the world crown are Americans, with Courtney Conlogue a strong contender and three-time world champion Carissa Moore, like Gilmore, an outsider for the 2017 title.
The world title race will be decided in Maui, Hawaii, in the final event of the 10-leg women’s world tour which can be activated from November 25.
Tyler Wright is the defending champion in Maui, a crown she won after last year securing her debut world title with an event in hand in France.
This year Fitzgibbons goes into Maui with the tour lead, but when the allowed two discards are worked in, Wright is in the rankings lead.
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The least complicated way for Fitzgibbons, Wright or Conlogue to win the world title is to win the final event.
If Fitzgibbons or Wright both finish third in Maui and Conlogue fails to advance into the final, Wright will defend her world crown.
If Fitzgibbons and Wright finish fifth, Conlogue doesn’t advance past the quarters and neither Gilmore or Moore win the event, Wright will again defend her crown.
“It’s just so exciting to be part of a world title race like this,’’ said Fitzgibbons, who has only made the final at Maui once in four attempts.
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“You know you have to bring your A-game.
“It being so close, it’s like the ultimate motivation.’’
Moore has the best record at the final event of the year having won the Maui event twice and made the past three finals.
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THE MATHEMATICS OF WINNING A WORLD TITLE
Tyler Wright: She needs at least a fifth but Fitzgibbons cannot finish in front of her, Conlogue can’t finish third or better and neither Gilmore and Moore can win.
Sally Fitzgibbons: If she exits early she can still win the world title if Wright doesn’t finish fifth or better, Conlogue doesn’t finish third and neither Gilmore or Moore win.
Courtney Conlogue: Needs at least a third but can only win the world title if she finishes ahead of Wright and Fitzgibbons.
Carissa Moore: Needs to win the event and hope Fitzgibbons and Wright don’t finish better than fifth and Conlogue doesn’t make the final.
Stephanie Gilmore: Needs to win the event and also hope Fitzgibbons and Wright don’t finish fifth or better and that Conlogue doesn’t make the final.