Nikki Van Dijk, Stephanie Gilmore out to end US domination at Rip Curl Pro
LOCAL Nikki Van Dijk has the chance to claim her first ever world No. 1 and end an Australian surfing hoodoo after she and Stephanie Gilmore survived a day of upsets at the Rip Curl Pro.
Women's sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Women's sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Who will ring the bell? Guide to Rip Curl Pro
- Carissa Moore hoping to extend US run at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
- Joel Parkinson dreams of repeat of 2011 final with Mick Fanning
WORLD champion hopeful Nikki Van Dijk has the chance to claim her first ever world No. 1 and end an Australian surfing hoodoo after she and Stephanie Gilmore survived a day of spills and upsets to advance into the quarters of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
With Mick Fanning and his male counterparts put on ice for the day, the women’s field was stripped bare of its top five ranked surfers at the famed world tour event.
MICK FIGHTING ON: Fanning wins at Bells Beach
MICK FANNING: Shark wrangler, mate, elite surfer. How he will be remembered
BELLS BEACH: Shocks continue
In a major shock, reigning world champion Tyler Wright failed to advance past round three for one of her worst results in recent times with American world No. 1 Lacy Peterson, knocked out by 16-year-old wonderkid Caroline Marks, also sent to the sidelines.
A day earlier former Rip Curl Pro winner Sally Fitzgibbons exited the competition in the second round while Keely Andrew, runner-up to Peterson at the Roxy Pro last month, was also beaten.
SURF RANCH: Aussies heading to wave pool ahead of Olympics
ASIAN CUP: Guide to the task ahead for the Matildas
The upsets have left Phillip Island local Van Dijk and Gilmore the only surfers now capable of ending Australia’s worst losing run on the entire women’s world tour at the most iconic surfing event in the country - and both in a position to take control of the world title race.
“Well, that's that then. We’ll need to fix that for sure,’’ Van Dijk said of the five-year domination by US women at the Rip Curl Pro.
“That’s certainly fired me up, knowing about that record.
“I’ve never rung the bell but I dream, of it.’’
Van Dijk broke through for her first world tour win last season with Gilmore (2007, 2008, 2010) and Hawaiian Carissa Moore (2014, 2015, 2016) now the only former winners of the event still in contention to ring the bell in 2017.
OLYMPIC ROLE: What’s ahead for Mick Fanning?
SURF WORLD TOUR: Aussies to cheer for
American defending champion Courtney Conlogue, who also won in 2016, is out injured.
When competition resumes Van Dijk will meet American Tatiana Weston-Webb and Gilmore another US surfer in Sage Erickson.
When the men’s event reactivates, there will be nine Australians surfing, including world No. 1 Julian Wilson, former winner Joel Parkinson and Fanning, who is contesting his final world tour event at Bells, the site of his first win as a teenage wildcard.