Tyler Wright thwarts locals at US Open as Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons surf for survival
INFORM Australian Tyler Wright was the only non-American surfer able to outsurf the host nation in the opening round of the US Open of Surfing.
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INFORM Australian Tyler Wright was the only non-American surfer able to outsurf the host nation in the opening round of the women’s US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach on Tuesday.
On a day Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons and some of the biggest names in the sport struggled to find early form, Wright advanced directly into the third round of the world surf league event with a thriller win over compatriot Nikki Van Dijk.
Wright is second overall on the world rankings behind American Courtney Conlogue and winner of three events on the world tour his year.
Wright just pipped Van Dijk by 0.47 points to claim the heat win.
“I definitely had to make that opportunity happen for myself,” Wright said. “The ball was back in my court and just knew I had to make it count.
“Nikki (Van Dijk) got that last wave in and there was nothing I could do about it. Just made the most of what I had and kind of making those opportunities happen.
“Huntington is pretty simple. You just have to get yourself in the right spots for those opportunities when they come through and make the most of them.”
American surfers stood up in round one as the likes of Australians Fitzgibbons, Gilmore, Van Dijk, Keeley Andrew and Laura Enever were all sent into the elimination round.
It is the strongest show of force of the year by the Americans whose numbers include multiple world champion Carissa Moore and Coco Ho.
While Moore suffered an upset loss, Ho recorded a first round win along win Saige Erickson, Malia Manuel, Lakey Petersen and Tatiana Weston-Webb.
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