Australia’s Tyler Wright, two-time world champion (2016 and 2017), and North American Lakey Peterson, last year’s Supertubos finalist, were the first surfers to be eliminated from the world elite race that started today in Peniche.
In the first qualifying round of the elimination round, Australian Sally Fitzgibbons (11 points out of 20) and American Caitlin Simmers (10.93) guaranteed their presence in the next stage of the competition, while Tyler Wright (7.73) bid farewell to the test .
Lakey Peterson was the second victim and took third place in the second moto, with 7.17 points, compared to 11.50 for Australia’s Isabella Nichols and 10.90 for Hawaii’s Gabriela Bryan, who advanced to the round of 16.
In the round of 16, the Portuguese Olympians Teresa Bonvalot and Yolanda Hopkins, who put in very positive performances today, will face Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, champion of the Supertubos title, in the second round heat (drums) and the Hawaiian Carissa Moore, five-time world champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2020) and Olympic champion, respectively in the fifth heat.
In the men’s competition, Frederico Morais, the only Portuguese in the competition, fell for the rematch, where he will meet North American Kelly Slater, 11-time world champion, and Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi in the second heat.
The third stage of the world circuit started today, after three days of waiting for the best conditions. The waiting period for MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal started on Wednesday and runs until March 16, with the presence of Portugal’s Frederico Morais, Teresa Bonvalot and Yolanda Hopkins.
Source: DN
