Aussies shove Peterson into elimination

Friday, 18 October 2019:

Australian rookie Macy Callaghan and Nikki Van Dijk have upstaged women's world No.2 Lakey Paterson on the opening day of the Pro Portugal in Peniche.

Callaghan (12.60) and Van Dijk (10.33) both upset Peterson (10.26) to force the American into an elimination round in the WSL's penultimate event.

While Peterson is locked in the world title race in second position on the rankings, Callaghan and Van Dijk are looking for a result in Peniche to turn their season around with potential requalification through the CT.

All three surfers attacked the lefts on their backhand and laid critical turns for good scores in the six-plus range.

Callaghan led the way with two good waves and Peterson seemed safe in the second advancing position until Van Dijk found a last-second opportunity and pulled a miracle comeback.

"I'm really happy with that heat it's always a nice way to start an event," said Callaghan. "I love beach breaks so I felt very good and comfortable out there.

"I'm pretty much last so I don't really have any pressure, you can only go up from there. I'm just having fun and trying to surf my best to show that I'm capable to be here and that I want to be here for a while."

While Peterson came unstuck, there were no such problems for Australia's world No.3 Sally Fitzgibbons, who is chasing her maiden world crown.

Fitzgibbons came out on top of her opening heat but time is running out for the 28-year-old, who sits third in the title race almost 11,000 points behind leader and last-stop victor Carissa Moore.

Three-time world champion and current leader Moore (14.00) had no difficulty progressing, easily beating Brazil's Silvana Lima (9.00) and Hawaiian Alana Blanchard (7.37).

There were wins for world No.1 Gabriel Medina and No.2 Filipe Teledo in the men's section, both of whom are fighting for the men's world title.

But the battle for a spot in the men's Australia Olympic team is hotting up with Owen Wright (8.73) forced into an elimination round after losing to compatriot Jack Freestone, who won the heat with 10.30, and Jadson Andre (9.53).

Wright (seventh) and Julian Wilson (10th), who won his heat comfortably, are leading a field of six in contention for Tokyo 2020.

Ryan Callinan (currently equal 11th), Wade Carmichael (15th), Adrian Buchan (16th) or Freestone (19th) are the others in contention.

However, Callinan (6.76) faces an elimination round after finishing third to Sebastian Zietz (11.50) and Carmichael (10.13) while Buchan came second in his heat to qualify.






AAP