The Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic kicks off with an intense first round
The fourth event of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour’s seven stops scheduled to take place this year, the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic, kicked off on Monday, May 2, at the Dee Why Point in New South Wales, Australia.
The opening day of the event was graced by heavy four-to-six foot tides at Dee Why Point. The stage was all set for a spectacular battle between the best female surfers in the world.
The day kicked-off with the first round featuring Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich taking on Hawaii’s Coco Ho and Australia’s Rebecca Woods in the first heat of the day. Mulanovich walked away with victory by earning a score of 12.25 after her two runs. Both Ho and
Woods struggled to nail a good wave and ended up with an unimpressive score of 8.40 and 3.65, respectively.
The second heat saw Brazil’s Silvana Lima go against America’s Courtney Conlogue and Australia’s Jessi Miley-Dyer. The contest turned out to be real intense, but in the end Lima emerged triumphant. She scored 14.50 against Conlogue’s 13.75 and Dyer’s 10.25.
The third heat created a lot of hype as it consisted of the in-form surfer from Australia, Sally Fitzgibbons. Straight off her two consecutive ASP wins, the Australian was clearly the favourite to shine in the latest event as well. She was up against her
compatriots, Nikki Van Dijk and Laura Enever. In what was the greatest upset of the day, it was Dijk who walked away victorious from the heat instead of Fitzgibbons, who finished with the lowest score of the heat.
The fourth heat pitted Hawaii’s Carissa Moore against Australia’s Claire Bevilacqua and New Zealand’s Paige Hareb. The Hawaiian surfer snatched the win in the low scoring contest. She scored 10.85 to beat Bevilacqua’s 6.90 and Hareb’s 6.60.
The fifth heat featured the reigning four-time Women’s World champion, Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore, going against France’s Pauline Ado and Hawaii’s Alana Blanchard. Gilmore was the only one among the three to nail two good waves. She managed to prevail
over her rivals with a leading score of 12.75 against Ado’s 7.75 and Blanchard’s 7.00.
The final heat of the first round placed the ASP rookie from Australia, Tyler Wright, up against Hawaii’s Melanie Bartels and Australia’s Chelsea Hedges. Wright went on a rampage and earned herself an overall score of 17.90 after two runs. Bartels’ 15.25
and Hedges’ 14.25 caused them to surrender victory to Wright.
The winner of the first heat advanced directly to the third round. However, the second and third place finishers will compete in round two and fight for survival in the competition. With the likes of Fitzgibbons, Ho and Gareb in the second round, only the
highest level of surfing will be expected.
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