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Fitzgibbons, Gilmore in Portugal quarters

3 minute read

Sally Fitzgibbons and Steph Gilmore have surfed into the quarter-finals at the WSL's Rip Curl Pro Portugal, while Jack Freestone is into the men's last eight.

SALLY FITZGIBBONS of Australia surfs during the Oi Rio Pro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
SALLY FITZGIBBONS of Australia surfs during the Oi Rio Pro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Sally Fitzgibbons remains in WSL title hunt after surfing into the quarter-finals of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.

The world No.3 was joined there by fellow Australian Steph Gilmore, while world No.1 Carissa Moore and second-placed Lakey Peterson also advanced, in 1-3 foot peaks at the world-class beach break of Supertubos, in central Portugal, on Sunday.

Fitzgibbons combined a big cutback with a smooth carve for a 6.10, to which she added a clean frontside wrap with a strong snap through the lip for a 6.57.

Her combination of 12.67 was enough to see her past Australian Keely Andrew's and into a last-eight clash with Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb, who beat Hawaiian Coco Ho, 14.67 to 10.60.

Moore, who has a 10,000-point lead over Fitzgibbons, will next face Frenchwoman Johanne Defay after sending New Zealander Paige Hareb packing with a 13.20 to 11.00 victory.

Defay edged Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy 10.66 to 9.54.

The other title contender Peterson thrashed Silvana Lima 13.43 to 8.54 to set up a quarter-final with Australian Nikki Van Dijk, who scored 12.40 to beat American Courtney Conologue by 0.06 points.

Meanwhile, Gilmore narrowly edged compatriot Macy Callaghan 13.07 to 12.13 to book a surf-off with American world No.5 Caroline Marks, who knocked out Australian Bronte Macauley 12.67 to 9.83.

In the men's Round of 16, Australian Jack Freestone took to the air to knock out his close mate Soli Bailey in the last heat of the day.

Tweed Heads local Freestone's aerials and backside snaps on the punchier lefthanders outscored his Suffolk Park opponent's carving on the rights in what was almost a NSW north coast boardriders battle.

Bailey lost 13.83 to 12.40 putting in doubt his requalification for next year's Championship Tour.

Earlier, Wade Carmichael slumped 14.60 to 9.27 against Brazilian title contender Felipe Toledo.

The world No.2's victory over the Australian pushed the title race out to a showdown at Pipe Masters, the final event of the tour.

The title race was blown even further open after reigning world champion and tour leader Gabriel Medina was controversially upset by fellow Brazilian Caio Ibelli.

Medina had been leading 14.34 to 7.17, but then in a moment of confusion started paddling his opponent's wave without priority.

He was sensationally docked all points for his lower-scoring wave to bring the scores back to 8.17 to 7.17 and Ibelli then managed to grab a 3.10 to knock a shell-shocked Medina out.

Ibelli said there was a clear confusion over the priority as Medina doesn't make mistake like that.

"I feel like surfing wise he won the heat, but everything went my way. I have so much respect for him," Ibelli said.

"I feel so bad, I mean I did my game and I came out with the win but he surfed pretty good."

South American Jordy Smith, Brazilian Italo Ferreira and American Kolohe Andino remain in the title race in Portugal.

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