Quarter-finalists decided at 2013 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
The arrival of the highly-anticipated swell at the primary event site of Margaret River in Australia allowed the 2013 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, second of eight stops on the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Championship Tour,
to resume on Thursday, March 21, 2013.
The day saw the competition of Round 3 and 4, thus revealing the eight names that will be seen in action in the quarter-finals.
The six-to-eight foot waves on offer at Margaret River set up an excellent stage for a series of thrilling performances from the top female surfing professionals from across the globe.
The proceedings on the latest day of the competition kicked-off with America’s Courtney Conlogue putting on a solid performance to down Australia’s Felicity Palmateer and Hawaii’s Carissa Moore in the first heat of Round 3, advancing straight to the quarter-finals
as a result.
Moore, former ASP Women’s World Champion, managed to bounce back though after downing South Africa’s Bianca Butendag in the relegation round, consequently stepping into the quarter-finals herself.
Reigning five-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore continued to struggle from inconsistency and this time found herself finishing in third place behind Hawaii’s Coco Ho, who finished on top, and Buitendag.
The 25-year-old Australian had bounced back strongly after a stumble earlier in the event and managed to pull it off again, this time registering an 18.00 to earn a comprehensive victory over Palmateer, who managed to put just a modest 7.70 on the scoreboard.
“I wasn’t trying to get back at Felicity (Palmateer) I was trying to get revenge on this wave because it’s so challenging,” Gilmore said. “Felicity was going to be the most dangerous wildcard at this wave so I was nervous, I was almost learning where to
sit out there from her. Although I had an advantage in some ways because the rights were really good in that heat and they’re on my forehand. It was good to surf some bigger waves and get the heart pumping.”
Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons failed to her hold her own against Hawaii’s Alana Blanchard in a one-on-one Round 3 heat, but successfully made it into the quarter-finals after defeating America’s Lakey Peterson in the third heat of Round 4.
The young Australian Tyler Wright also managed to secure her place in the quarter-finals after claiming a convincing win over Peterson and New Zealand’s Paige Hareb in the fourth heat of Round 3.
When the competition resumes, Conlogue will take on Gilmore in the first quarter-final for a place in the semi-finals.
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