Alizee Arnaud prevails in round two of Estoril Surf & Music Billabong Girls Pro
French surfer Alizee Arnaud emerged triumphant from her heat in the second round of the Association of Surfers Professionals (ASP) 6-Star Estoril Surf & Music Billabong Girls Pro on Friday, June 10th, at Praia do Guicho beach in Estoril, Portugal.
Tough surfing conditions prevailed at the competition site during the round of 48, with two-to-three foot tides and offshore winds presenting the surfers with quite a challenge. There was not enough juice in the waves to allow the ladies to go for really
technical skills, making them settle for the more conventional manoeuvres instead. It was clear that the heat will be more of a battle of experience instead of battle of skills.
Arnaud did not enjoy a smooth sailing during the heat due to the demanding conditions. She did, however, manage to break free of the shackles and add a 6.50 to her account off her first wave in the middle stages of the heat. Apparently in rhythm now, she
followed her first wave with an even more impressive second wave, this time getting an average of 7.50 points from the judges.
Her two-wave total reached 14.00, a score that remained unbeatable throughout the course of the heat and eventually carried her off to victory. The first-place finish guaranteed a place for her in the next round, round of 24.
Hawaii’s renowned female surfer, Alana Blanchard, tried to bridge the gap that separated her from first position, but the effort proved futile and she eventually had to settle for runner-up place. She scored 6.00 points off her first wave and needed 8.00
points off her second in order to clinch victory. However, all she could manage was a 4.35 to finish with a heat-total of 10.35 points. She was not too disappointed with the end result as the second-place finish extended her life in the event and qualified
her for the next round.
America’s Meah Collins and South Africa’s Tarryn Chudleigh finished in third and fourth positions respectively. Both ladies failed to read the conditions completely and ended up looking helpless in the sea. Collin only managed 6.65 points off her two waves,
while Chudleigh earned a total of 6.20 points. Both of them have been eliminated from event.
The ASP 6-Star Estoril Surf & Music Billabong Girls Pro is the second of four stops of Women’s European series.
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