Sally Fitzgibbons beats Isabella Nichols for third Surfest crown in comeback from injury

Surfer Sally Fitzgibbons has emerged from a summer of rehabilitation to claim her third Surfest crown and a major shot of confidence for the opening event of the world tour.

• Mum’s the world for Macy Callaghan
• The Aussie surfer who splashed to earth
• Maddy proud to take Swifts lead

Surfer Sally Fitzgibbons has emerged from a summer of rehabilitation to claim her third Surfest crown and a major shot of confidence for the opening event of the world tour in less than three weeks.

Fitzgibbons, preparing for her 11th consecutive year on the women’s world tour, has only recently returned to the water after 10 weeks out recovering from a shoulder fractured while competing in the season-ending Maui Pro in December.

KELLY SLATER: Set for Sydney surf

WIPEOUT SURVIVOR: Creating waves

In her first tournament since the accident in the quarter-finals of the world tour event, Fitzgibbons showed she has recaptured much of the form she hopes will see her qualify herself a spot at next year’s Olympci Games via this year’s world tour.

Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons won her third Surfest crown on Sunday.

Sally Fitzgibbons celebrates winning the ISA world title before her accident in December.

“I’m in that humbled, stoked place right now,’’ Fitzgibbons said after the win on Sunday.

“There was just so much joy in pulling on the jersey again.’’

ART: Naked surfers ride to empowerment

Fitzgibbons, who admitted she was unsure whether she would even be able to compete at Surfest at the start of last week, took down former world junior surfing champion Isabella Nichols 13.50 to 11.70 in the 35-minute final at Newcastle for a record-equalling third women’s title at the annual event.

US surfer Kelly Slater at the Billabong Pipeline Masters in December.

The 28-year-old Fitzgibbons, ranked sixth in the world, beat French surfer Cannelle Bulard 12.77 to 8.50 to book her finals berth.

Former world junior champion Nichols made her way into the women’s final with a 15.33 to 10.70 defeat of teenager Zahli Kelly in their semi-final at Merewether.

It was 15-year-old Kelly’s best result in a qualifying tour event.

“I’m still in shock on making it this far in the event,’’ Kelly said.

The next world qualifying tour event is the Sydney Pro at Manly Beach.

Special guest at the event is 11-time world champion Kelly Slater who will surf his first heat at the Northern Beaches tournament on Wednesday.

Slater, 47, has been given an injury wildcard to surf on the world tour this year.

While he has previously stated this season will be his last hoorah to the world tour ,Slater

recently indicated he is interested in chasing Olympic qualification by being one of the top two Americans on the world tour in 2019.