Wildcards upsets at Margaret River Pro

Sunday, 15 April 2018:

World No.5 Matt Wilkinson has been sent packing from the Margaret River Pro after losing to local wildcard Kael Walsh in round two.

Wilkinson was just one of several top-seeded surfers to fall victim to up-and-comers in Sunday's heats.

Frederico Morais was another, losing to South Africa's Michael February, who recently took Mick Fanning's place on the Tour after the Australian retired after the Bells Beach event.

Rookie Michael Rodrigues also knocked Japan's Kanoa Igarashi out of the competition with an impressive 14.34 total.

World No.1 Italo Ferreira narrowly avoided a similar fate against Kelly Slater's injury replacement, Miguel Pupo.

Ferreira, the winners at Bells, needed a 7.0 ride to progress with only three minutes remaining in his heat and pulled out a 7.50.

He said he was much better suited to the waves at Main Break than Saturday's venue.

"Yesterday was hard at North Point. For a goofy footer, it's so hard," he said.

"I love Main Break. It's one of the best waves here. I love to surf the back hands and the big manoeuvres."

"Miguel has a good backhand and after the first wave (8.0) I just tried to stay relaxed a little bit and do my surf."

Adrian Buchan, who is No.6 on the Tour, also fell foul to a wildcard, Mikey Wright, who produced an two-wave total of 14.17, easily accounting for Buchan's 9.14.

However, it was Walsh's elimination of Wilkinson that set the tone for the day.

The 18-year-old from Yallingup has been pumping up his abilities and desires to show off his skills against the world's best all week.

On Sunday, he let his surfing take over.

He produced a two-wave score of 9.77, including a high wave of 5.67 compared with his more experienced opponent's 5.07.

Owen Wright's inspirational push to return to the top of world surfing continued.

He had little trouble against local wildcard David Delroy-Carr in the opening heat of the second round.

Wright, who suffered a potentially career-ending brain injury in Fiji in 2015, earned a spot in the third round, with a comfortable 9.77 to 5.43 victory.

Conditions on Sunday did not allow for the women's second round to be contested.






AAP






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