Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.23 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 15.77
Carissa Moore and Tyler Wright took to the water in a rematch of last year’s Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach Final, with matching 7.50s to open their campaigns.
Moore quickly added to her total with a series of powerful carves on the open face, tacking on an excellent 8.73 to her score. The high-scoring battle continued when Wright unloaded her forehand attack with critical snaps in the pocket, earning an 8.27 for her efforts. Wright’s incredible commitment continued, planting herself on dry reef in an attempt to take the win, but the Australian failed to earn the score. Moore’s win marks her second consecutive victory this season.
Semifinals
SF 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.10 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.53
The opening heat of the day saw Sally Fitzgibbons strike first against reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event winner Carissa Moore. Fitzgibbons notched a minimal score of 4.00 for her opening ride, while the Hawaiian sat in wait.
Finally, at the 17-minute mark, Moore locked in to a Bells Bowl set, displaying two committed outside turns for a 6.33. Fitzgibbons quickly matched Moore’s score with a 6 of her own. Moore found a mid-range backup score to steal the lead. Fitzgibbons found a wave with just seconds remaining in the heat, but fell painfully shy with a 4.20, just half of a point short of what she needed to overtake Moore.
SF 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.77 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.77
Australian combatants Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright squared off for Semifinal 2 with conditions continuing to improve at Bells Beach.
Wright pulled out to an early lead, putting her board in the critical sections of the wave and emphasizing her turns with unmatched power. She continued to build momentum through the entirety of the Semifinal, posting a 5.77 followed by a 7.00 before shutting her opponent down with a 9.00 and an 8.77.
Gilmore, a five-time ASP Women’s World Champion and two-time Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach winner, had ample opportunity but a few falls left the door open for Wright’s onslaught. Gilmore will collect an Equal 3rd to close out the Australian leg and move onto Rio.