The Australian Open of Surfing in Manly, New South Wales is really beginning to heat up with Sally Fitzgibbons leading the charge…
Day Five saw the opening round of the men's ASP 6-Star division but it was in the women's competition that things really took off as the quarter-finals whittled the ladies down to just four.
It looked as though homegrown talent Laura Enever was heading for an early bath in her heat against French surfer Pauline Ado. Enever needed a last decent score only for the ocean to flat-line. But with a nail-biting 14 seconds left on the clock she took flight on a left-hander and got the points.
Red Bull athlete and fellow Australian Sally Fitzgibbons also won through. She beat Lakey Peterson in a rematch of last year's US Open final. She now faces Enever in one of the weekend's semi-finals.
“It’s a good feeling to be through to the semis for the first event of the year,” said Fitzgibbons. “It’s exciting to be here at the first Australian Open, and to be able to compete so close to home. I’ve got all my friends and family here supporting me. I busted up my wrist just before Christmas and I’m just getting back in the water now. I’ve got a wristguard on for support, but it doesn’t hinder me too much.”
Malia Manuel will take on Sofia Mulanovich in the other semi.
Fitzgibbons could be back in the news again tomorrow night (February 16) at the Australian Surfing Awards, which takes place at the Manly Novotel. She's up for the Female Surfer of the Year award alongside Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright. We'll have our fingers crossed.
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