Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2016: Finals heating up in women’s draw

AUSTRALIAN Sally Fitzgibbons has revived her world title race but lost the Rip Curl Pro to Courtney Conlogue.

Courtney Conlogue during the final of the 2016 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Picture: Stephen Harman

AUSTRALIAN Sally Fitzgibbons has rescucitated her bid for a maiden world crown but finished just shy of her first major win of the year at Rip Curl Pro crown at Bells Beach.

The surfer from the NSW south coast produced a high-energy final but was just pipped for her third Bells trophy by in-form American Courtney Conlogue in the world tour event on Friday afternoon.

Conlogue, who had trailed for the first half of the final, ended up defeating Fitzgibbons 16.53 to 16.43.

“That is insane. What a roller-coaster of an event,’’ Conlogue said. “I’m stoked.”

It is the second time in just three weeks Conlogue has made a championship tour final after being beaten by Tyler Wright in the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in March.

Her consistency has also rewarded her with the world No.1 ranking heading into the third round of the world championship tour, next week’s Margaret River Pro.

Fitzgibbons must now wait at least another year for the chance to join reigning world champion Carissa Moore, whom she beat in the semis, and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore as a three-time winner of the Rip Curl Pro.

Fitzgibbons is also hoping to join the pair as a member of the world champions club later this year in December with her second place at Bells putting her campaign back on track for the feat.

Fitzgibbons’ second-place finish is a major confidence booster for the Australian who recorded a 13th in the opening event of the world surfing tour last month in her worst ever result

Conlogue had earlier defeated Aussie Tyler Wright — who held the No.1 ranking going into this competition — in the quarter finals, while Steph Gilmore also fell at the quarters stage when she lost to Carissa Moore.