Teenager Macy Callaghan ready to take on Lakey Peterson at Rip Curl Pro
TEENAGER Macy Callaghan isn’t sure if anything can beat taking down six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in a world tour heat - but beating the world No. 1 surfer might get close.
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TEENAGER Macy Callaghan isn’t sure if anything can beat taking down six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in a world tour heat - but beating the world No. 1 surfer might get close.
The injury replacement for the women’s world surfing tour has received her second call-up of the season and rushed to Bells Beach to be on hand for the opening of heat of the second leg, the Rip Curl Pro.
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The 17-year-old from the NSW central coast is a stand-in for injured Rip Curl Pro defending champion Courtney Conlogue, with the American still rehabilitating from a foot injury sustained pre-season.
“It’s exciting to have another chance to surf,” Callaghan said ahead of her opening heat against world No. 1 and Roxy Pro winner Lakey Peterson and Hawaiian Tatiana Weston-Webb in the fifth heat of round one.
Callaghan showed few nerves when she took down Gilmore in round one of the Roxy Pro world tour opener on the Gold Coast earlier this month.
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The teenager says she will take a similarity relaxed approach to Bells.
“I just want to try and get two good waves and to try and surf the best I can,’’ she said.
“I met Lacey in round three of the Roxy Pro and she knocked me out there before going on to win, so at least I have surfed against her.’’
Australia’s bid for a third consecutive women’s world crown of surfing has received a boost due to Conlogue’s injury.
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The Rip Curl Pro is the second world tour event the American has missed and with surfers only able to discard their worst two performances of the year, this has put her on the backfoot in this years title chase.
Conlogue lead the world tour for a substantial part of 2017 before Tyler Wright launched a late season charge to win her second world crown.
The men’s event at Bells doubles as Mick Fanning’s farewell to world tour surfing.