Former Gold Coaster Tyler Wright on cusp of winning maiden World Surf League title

TYLER Wright could be crowned world champion today if Courtney Conlogue fails to win her sudden-death Round 2 heat at the Roxy Pro in France.

Tyler Wright is on the cusp of winning a maiden World Surf League title.

TYLER Wright could be crowned world champion as early as today if rival Courtney Conlogue fails to fight her way out of a sudden-death Round 2 heat at the Roxy Pro in France.

Wright progressed directly to round 3 after beating South African Bianca Buitendag and Chelsea Tuach of Barbados convincingly to skip the elimination round and ensure her hunt for a maiden world crown remains on track.

World No. 2 Conlogue has to finish ahead of the Australian to take the title hunt to the final event of the season in Hawaii and will have to beat Tuach in an elimination battle to keep her title hopes alive.

Former Gold Coast resident Wright has been outstanding this season, winning four events to establish an enormous lead in the world title race.

Conlogue is the only athlete that can stop her run but that chance is diminishing, with Wright showing no trace of being under pressure.

“When conditions are like this it gives you a lot of freedom,” Wright said.

“Although we had a game plan as well, when it’s like this you can just go out there and surf as you see it.”

Victorian Nikki Van Dijk did Wright a favour by beating Conlogue and young Aussie Bronte Macaulay in Round 1, pushing the American into the sudden-death round.

Tweed’s six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore won her Round 1 heat, as did defending world titleholder Carissa Moore, while Sally Fitzgibbons was also pushed into a sudden-death encounter after losing her heat to France’s Johanne Defay.