Courtesy of WSL Australia / Oceania
– Tyler Wright takes her first heat win of the season
– Tatiana Weston-Webb kicks off her 2018 competitive season with a heat win
– Caroline Marks continues her stellar QS form
– more information available AT WORLDSURFLEAGUE.COM
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| Merewether, NSW/AUS (Thursday, February 22, 2018) – After a single heat was run on Tuesday before being called off, it was ‘Ladies Day’ today at Merewether, with the Grandstand Sports Clinic Women’s Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 6,000 event getting underway. In punchy 3-to-4 feet surf, top seeds dominated with Championship Tour (CT) surfers highlighting the day’s performances.
Reigning two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) translated her 2017 title-winning form into a commanding victory in the first heat of Round 3. After a win with Culburra Boardriders Club at the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle last weekend, Wright surfed with her trademark powerful style, attacking the punchy right-hand waves at Merewether beach. Shrugging off any injury concerns from late last season, Wright’s intentions of a third-straight World Title in 2018 were clear in her dominant performance. “It feels really good to paddle out in a normal heat for the first time this year,” Wright said. “I’m feeling really fit and healthy at the moment and any sort of injury is a thing of the past. I haven’t surfed at this event since I was a kid so it’s so cool to be back — I always enjoy Newcastle. I’m really pumped for 2018 and can’t wait to see what the season brings.” Championship Tour Rookie, Floridian Caroline Marks (USA), continued her strong start to her 2018 campaign, posting an 11.67 to progress to Round 4. The youngest ever qualifier for the CT, Marks’ momentum continues from her triumph in the first Women’s QS6,000 event of the year, the Ron Jon Florida Pro in Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Backing up her 5.60-point ride with a 6.07 late in the heat, Marks said a good result in Newcastle will take the pressure off her heading into the first CT event, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. “I was really excited to surf a heat today after three lay days, I just had to get out there and give it my best,” Marks said. “I am feeling super confident right now, I have a lot of momentum and my boards are feeling great and I think it’s showing in my surfing. It’s cool to have events like here and in Florida. After getting a result there I have so much less pressure on myself for the year – I love surfing and love competing so I’m going to put my energy into the CT and the QS and just see how I go.” Sunshine Coast surfer Keely Andrews (AUS) had a slow start to her first 2018 Surfest heat, riding two less than 1-point rides before posting a heat-high single-wave score of 7.93. Ranked 11th on the 2017 CT, Andrews said she felt at home in the less than ideal conditions, which she said were comparable to her home break. “I feel super comfortable in the onshore stuff, that’s all we get at home usually so I had fun,” Andrews said, coming off a quarter-final finish in the Ron Jon Florida Pro last month. “It’d mean a lot to win, to take that confidence into the start of the year at Snapper, where I’ll probably ride the same board. To collect a few points along the way would be quite handy – I can’t wait to surf the rest of the event.”
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| About WSL The World Surf League (WSL) is dedicated to celebrating the world’s best surfing on the world’s best waves through a variety of best-in-class audience platforms. The League, headquartered in Santa Monica, is a global sport with regional offices in Australasia, Africa, North America, South America, Hawaii, Japan and Europe.The WSL has been championing the world’s best surfing since 1976, annually running in excess of 180 global events across the Men’s and Women’s Championship Tours, the Big Wave Tour, Qualifying Series, Junior and Longboard Championships, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The League possesses a deep appreciation for the sport’s rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation and performance at the highest levels, and in doing so crowns the undisputed world champions in Men’s, Women’s across all divisions within the tour. Showcasing the world’s best surfing on its digital platform at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the free WSL app, the WSL has a passionate global fan base with millions tuning in to see world-class athletes like Tyler Wright, John John Florence, Paige Alms, Kai Lenny, Taylor Jensen, Honolua Blomfield, Mick Fanning, Stephanie Gilmore, Kelly Slater, Carissa Moore, Gabriel Medina, Courtney Conlogue and more battle on the most unpredictable and dynamic field of play of any sport in the world. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com |
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