Margaret River Pro: Courtney Conlogue out to keep Aussie surf stars at bay in WSL event
US surfer Courtney Conlogue is hoping to keep a host of Australian rivals at arms length in the third round of the world championship series at Margaret River Pro.
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SHE’S gained form and lost stress and it’s a recipe American surfer Courtney Conlogue hopes will see her able to keep a host of Australian rivals at arm’s length in the third round of the world championship series at Margaret River Pro.
The battle for the world crown is 1-1 between Australia and the US after NSW surfer Tyler Wrights victory in round one and Cologne’s win in round two at Bells Beach last week.
But it is Conlogue, who finished runner-up to Wright at the Roxy Pro, who wears the No. 1 ranking on her back at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro this week.
In the wake of her win at the Rip Curl Pro, Conlogue said she is a far more balanced and experienced surfer that she was when she fell just short of winning a maiden world crown last year.
“Those things come with experience,’’ she said from Margaret River on Wednesday.
“I think I have matured a lot, learned a lot. Last year was a good learning curve for me.’’
A newly composted Conlogue goes in Margaret River as the defending champion but has suffered a setback in the lead-up to the event expected to start on Friday.
“I’ve got some sort of bug that has just kicked me in the butt,’’ Conlogue said.
“I just slept for 20 hours. I didn’t really want to eat so I’ve been on a diet of saltine crackers and ginger beer.’’
Sally Fitzgibbons, runner-up to Conlogue at the Rip Curl Pro, Wright and Gilmore are all determined to lift themselves up the world rankings at Margaret River,
Wright can take back the No. 1 with a top result at the event with Gilmore, sixth, and Fitzgibbons, seventh. both able to move into a podium finish in the final world championship tour event in Australia.
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