Sally Fitzgibbons win stops Stephanie Gilmore sharing special moment with mate Ash Barty

Sally Fitzgibbons is on top of the world with her first World Tour win in two years preventing fellow Australian Stephanie Gilmore sharing a special moment with bestie and tennis star Ash Barty

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Her first World Tour win in more than two years has catapulted Sally Fitzgibbons to surfing’s world No. 1 ranking while preventing fellow Australian Stephanie Gilmore sharing a special moment with bestie Ash Barty.

Fitzgibbon’s win over triple world champion Carissa Moore at the Oi Rio Pro was her first since early 2017 and indicates she is right on track to realise her dream of representing Australia when surfing makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year.

Winners are grinners. Sally Fitzgibbons and Filipe Toledo at the Rio Pro.

Ash Barty with surfer Stephanie Gilmore at the opening event of the World Tour on the Gold Coast.

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It also saw her take the tour leaders yellow rashie from Gilmore - preventing the seven-time world champion being on top of the world the same day her great mate Barty became the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1976 to claim tennis’s world No. 1 ranking.

It was a deserved win for NSW South Coast surfer Fitzgibbons who has worked for nearly two years on changing her style of surfing to be more competitive and to increase her chance of winning a maiden world crown after a decade on the world tour.

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“It could’ve gone either way and it just went my way today,’’ Fitzgibbons said after winning the fifth of 10 events on the 2019 women’s world tour.

“It was unbelievable, this is insane.’’

A delighted Sally Fitzgibbons after her major win on the world tour.

Sally Fitzgibbons beat Carissa Moore to take the lead on the world tour.

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Moore, who beat Gilmore in the semi-finals, has moved into second spot on the world rankings. The Australian defending world champion is now ranked third.

“It’s definitely one of those feelings where you feel so alive,” said Fitzgibbons, who won on a beach crammed with surfing fans.

“The whole process of running down through the crowd cheering and paddling out is pretty sick when it all comes together. After all these years it’s still special and to be in the final with a friend like Carissa (Moore) is pretty amazing.’’

It was Fitzgibbons’ 11th win on the world tour but the first since her win at the Margaret River Pro in 2017.

Queenslander Julian Wilson was the best placed Australian in the men’s event won by local Filipe Toledo.

Wilson made it to the quarter-finals and is now ranked ninth in the world - the highest placed Australian male on the world tour.