FOUR Australian surfers have made it into the line-up for the Margaret River Pro Women’s Quarterfinals.
The women faced sloppy conditions at Mainbreak during their Round 4 heats on Thursday but made it work nevertheless. Sally Fitzgibbons scored the round's highest total of 15.37 points.
After winning her Round 4 heat by 2.00points, Women's ASP world number five Stephanie Gilmore knocked fellow Australian surfer Dimity Stoyle out of the competition. Gilmore will face America’s Courtney Conlogue, world number four and two-times winner of the Margaret River Pro, in the quarterfinals.
Hawaii’s Carissa Moore, world number one, placed first in Round 3 to advance straight to quarterfinals. She will compete against Hawaii's Malia Manuel. Moore has continued her top efforts from last year’s Pro, which she won along with Dusty Payne (Men’s), despite commenting on the "tough" conditions at Margaret River Mainbreak on Wednesday.
Australia’s Laura Enever is also through to quarterfinals, thanks to an extremely close contest in Round 4 that ended with her winning by a mere 0.20 points over New Zealand's Paige Hareb. In a head-to-head quarterfinal between Australians, Enever will now face Tyler Wright, world number two.
The fourth contest will be between South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag and Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons, number three on the World Championship Tour.
Women’s Quarterfinals are expected to be contested at Mainbreak on Friday. Meanwhile the Men’s competition is on standby, waiting for Round 2 to take place.
Women's Quarterfinals line-up:
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Carissa Moore (HAW) vs Malia Manuel (HAW)
Laura Enever (AUS) vs Tyler Wright (AUS)
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) vs Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
For more news on the Pro, see our full coverage here.