Stephanie Gilmore keeps slim title hopes alive with Round 2 win at US Open of surfing

STEPHANIE Gilmore has kept her US Open chances alive after snatching victory from fellow Aussie Nikki Van Dijk in the final minute of their knockout heat.

Stephanie Gilmore during her Round 2 heat at the Vans US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, California. Photo: WSL

TWEED Coaster Stephanie Gilmore has kept her chances alive in the US Open of Surfing after snatching victory from fellow Aussie Nikki Van Dijk in the final minute of their knockout heat.

Trailing her compatriot in the dying stages of the clash, Gilmore posted a heat-high 7.67 to advance to Round 3 and keep alive her chances of winning a seventh world title.

Gilmore has not advanced past the quarter-finals in the opening half of the World Surf League season, despite making the final eight in four of the five events in her return from a knee injury that kept her out for most of last year.

The 28-year-old is looking to ignite her title challenge in the back half of the year and could not afford a second- round elimination at Huntington Beach in California.

“It was a kind of slow and then stressful morning,’’ Gilmore said.

“Nikki had great positioning, she stuck to her game plan and I was kind of floating around a bit.

“I was watching the free surf and there was a lot of waves everywhere, there were a lot of opportunities and then I just got a little stuck I felt a little slow out there.

“But I knew that we just both had fives and nothing really that special and as soon as one of us got one of those clean, open-faced waves just two big turns and I knew that’d be (enough) to seal the deal for the heat.”

Gilmore advanced to a non-elimination Round 3 heat against world champion Carissa Moore and her fellow ­Hawaiian Coco Ho where the winner will progress to the quarter-finals.

“They’re a little bit more playful, the Round 3 heats, but at the same time you really want to go straight to the quarter-finals so I’ll do whatever I can to try and get the win there,’’ Gilmore said.

“I think in Round 3 you can catch a lot more waves and just go for it.”

After an opening round full of upsets, order was restored yesterday as the big guns avoided elimination to move through to Round 3.

Moore, rankings leader Courtney Conlogue, world No. 4 Sally Fitzgibbons and Gilmore advanced.

Frenchwoman Johanne Defay, who won the Fiji women’s Pro at the last stop on tour, was knocked out by young Australian Kelly Andrew, while South African Bianca Buitendag also fell to an Aussie in Laura Enever.