Date: Saturday, April 5, 2014 Schedule: Quarterfinals (Heats 1-4) of the Drug Aware Women’s Margaret River Pro Conditions: Two-to-Four foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves at Main Break. Light wind.
Immediately following Men’s Round 2, ASP Top 17 competition resumed, with Drug Aware Margaret River Pro standouts taking to the water for the Quarterfinals.
Women’s Quarterfinals action would hold not shortage of action, with a heated battle between current No. 1 Stephanie Gilmore and two-time event winner Courtney Conlogue.
Conlogue would control the heat throughout the majority of the battle, but Gilmore would find a way to battle back, locking in a midrange 7 to keep her hopes of victory at Margaret River alive.
With just seconds remaining on the clock, Gilmore would lock in to a wave under Conlogue’s priority in need of a 7.08. The five-time ASP Women’s World Champion would deliver two powerful forehand gouges, earning a 7.10 for the ride and a spot in the Semifinals.
Heat 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.50 def. Malia Manuel (HAW) 9.60
The second Quarterfinal would see a Gold Coast rematch between reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore and progressive Kauaian Malia Manuel. Manuel would strike first, locking in a 6-point ride alongside a low backup score to take and early lead.
Moore would struggle to find a rhythm throughout the first half of the affair, but would open up on back-to-back rides in the final 15 minutes of the heat, unloading a 9 and a 7.50 with her signature forehand power, securing a slot in the Semifinals.
2012 ASP World Runner-Up Tyler Wright would take on fellow Australian Laura Enever in Quarterfinal No. 3. Enever would jump out to an early lead due to an impressive tailslide to snap combination for a 6.
Wright would fight back, locking in a 7 and a 6 of her own to steal the lead. Enever would regain priority, but the final minutes of the heat, but failed to capitalize on a potentially heat-changing wave, securing a Semifinals berth for Wright.
The final heat of the day would see perennial ASP World Title contender Sally Fitzgibbons take on lethal tour sophomore Bianca Buitendag. Buitendag would strike first, locking in a midrange score. Fitzgibbons would answer back with a midrange score of her own, eventually building momentum throughout the 30 minute affair.
Fitzgibbons would continue to build further, dismantling the rights with impressive precision, scoring a 7.83, 7.37 and 9.00, leaving Buitendag in a combination situation while advancing to the Semifinals.
