Moving day at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro unraveled in stormy conditions with a vital finals day looming over Challenger Series hopefuls eyeing down Championship Tour (CT) qualification.
Women's Quarterfinalists Decided at Snapper Rocks
Gabriela Bryan continues to impress on her formidable forehand. - WSL / Andrew Shield
Fresh off the biggest result of her career with a second place finish at the Margaret River Pro, Gabriela Bryan has come into the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro brimming with confidence, laying down some of the best performances of the event and today was no exception. 2022 CT Rookie Byran was able to book herself a spot into the Quarterfinals with a win over fellow Hawaiian Luana Silva who was unable to find the same connection as Bryan in their 40 minute matchup. Bryan was awarded a 15.07 two-wave total for her frontside rail surfing. Gabriela will take on event form surfer Sally Fitzgibbons in Quarterfinal 1 tomorrow morning.
"It's so good to be surfing such perfect waves at this event, it really allows you to go for excellent scores" said Bryan. ‘I came into this event off a great result and I'm through to finals day here as well and with great waves again tomorrow this will be an amazing finish. It feels good to be building momentum."
Nikki Van Dijk all smiles heading into finals day after an all-star heat. - WSL / Matt Dunbar
Former CT competitor Nikki Van Dijk has returned to competition this week for the first time in almost a year after overcoming injuries sustained during last year's Australian leg of CT events. Her long awaited return has continued to be a successful one with the Australian claiming a clutch victory over the event's form surfer Malia Manuel. van Dijk needed a score with only seconds left and was able to find a wave and get the job done with the score being read out with both competitors on the beach.
‘It was a tough heat and a lot of paddling required to stay in the lineup out there," said Van Dijk. "That was quite a stressful heat because I need a score to advance and luckily I just got it on my last ride - Tomorrow should be amazing with these waves for finals."
From flaring Sally Fitzgibbons and Bettylou Sakura Johnson, to nail-biting finishes from Nolan Rapoza and Ramzi Boukhiam, day 4 delivered serious action.
Other standout performers in the women's Round of 16 included Molly Picklum and Bronte Macaulay who both dominated their heats with excellent scores and at this stage look like the women to beat at Snapper Rocks. Picklum will have to overcome two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright in their Quarterfinal matchup with Wright progressing through her heat today. Macaulay looked insync in both her heats, even knocking out event favorite Stephanie Gilmore in the Round of 32.
Californian youngster Caitlin Simmers continued her run of form on the Gold Coast, moving into the Quarterfinals where she will take on van Dijk. Hawaiian standout Bettylou Sakura Johnson was able to overcome Yolanda Hopkins in their Round of 16 matchup as Sakura-Johnson looks to find her way back onto the Dream Tour for 2023.
Challenger Series Journeyman Look For Dream Start to 2022 Season
Big moments from Bronte Macaulay, and Molly Picklum catapult them into finals day alongside Jackson Baker and his 9.17.
Ramzi Boukhiam has long been touted one of the most talented competitors to not yet qualify for the elite CT with much of the praise being directed at his impeccable backside surfing thanks to his time on the long right-hand points of Morocco. Coming into the event here at Snapper Rocks, Boukhiam was pegged as a dark-horse and to this point, he hasn't disappointed - putting up some solid heat totals to progress into the Round of 16 and bank a keeper result in event one of the 2022 CS.
"I feel this Challenger Series is really good for me and to start here on the Gold Coast has been perfect," said Boukhiam. ‘There's some great venues for us to look forward to on this tour and it feels like a fresh tour post Covid. I'm 29 years old now, I've been competing hard for a number of years but I really feel now is my time!"
Portuguese Powerhouse Vasco Ribeiro is another competitor built for the waves of the Championship Tour with a super powerful frontside carve which has been on full display this week on the Gold Coast. Ribeiro put on a great performance today to progress into the Round of 16 along with Hawaiian Ian Gentil as the pair took another step in the right direction towards achieving their dream of qualifying for the CT in 2023.
"I'm especially happy with this new Challenger series and it's going to plan for me at the moment because I'm through to finals day tomorrow" said Ribiero. "Snapper Rocks is an amazing venue and I hope all the Challenger venues can give us waves like this - It's been incredible and I'm ready for tomorrow."
Fresh off securing his place into the second half of the 2022 CT, Baker's belting out near-perfection with no pressure in sight at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro.
Taking over control of another big day at the famed pointbreak, Jackson Baker led the surge into finals day with a 9.17 spectacle. (Full interview in video above.
Surfing Icons Descend on Snapper Rocks
From 11x WSL Champion Kelly Slater to 2005 Champion Chelsea Hedges, some of the sport's icons got the famed pointbreak all to themselves and proved they still got it.
The last heat of the day saw a special treat for surfing fans online and on the beach as some of the all time greats of surfing, all with close connections to this famous Snapper Rocks surf break put on an expression session display. All are favorites of the Gold Coast's large surfing fan base but clearly led by 11 time World Champion Kelly Slater along with regular local past WSL greats Mark Occhilupo, Josh Kerr, Dean Morrison, Kate Wilcomes and Chelsea Hedges.
Finals day call will be made Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 a.m. AEST.
The 2022 Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro presented by Rip Curl Challenger Series event will run at Snapper Rocks from May 7 - 14.
Finals Day Ready At Snapper Rocks: Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro
WSL
Moving day at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro unraveled in stormy conditions with a vital finals day looming over Challenger Series hopefuls eyeing down Championship Tour (CT) qualification.
Women's Quarterfinalists Decided at Snapper Rocks
Fresh off the biggest result of her career with a second place finish at the Margaret River Pro, Gabriela Bryan has come into the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro brimming with confidence, laying down some of the best performances of the event and today was no exception. 2022 CT Rookie Byran was able to book herself a spot into the Quarterfinals with a win over fellow Hawaiian Luana Silva who was unable to find the same connection as Bryan in their 40 minute matchup. Bryan was awarded a 15.07 two-wave total for her frontside rail surfing. Gabriela will take on event form surfer Sally Fitzgibbons in Quarterfinal 1 tomorrow morning.
"It's so good to be surfing such perfect waves at this event, it really allows you to go for excellent scores" said Bryan. ‘I came into this event off a great result and I'm through to finals day here as well and with great waves again tomorrow this will be an amazing finish. It feels good to be building momentum."
Former CT competitor Nikki Van Dijk has returned to competition this week for the first time in almost a year after overcoming injuries sustained during last year's Australian leg of CT events. Her long awaited return has continued to be a successful one with the Australian claiming a clutch victory over the event's form surfer Malia Manuel. van Dijk needed a score with only seconds left and was able to find a wave and get the job done with the score being read out with both competitors on the beach.
‘It was a tough heat and a lot of paddling required to stay in the lineup out there," said Van Dijk. "That was quite a stressful heat because I need a score to advance and luckily I just got it on my last ride - Tomorrow should be amazing with these waves for finals."
Other standout performers in the women's Round of 16 included Molly Picklum and Bronte Macaulay who both dominated their heats with excellent scores and at this stage look like the women to beat at Snapper Rocks. Picklum will have to overcome two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright in their Quarterfinal matchup with Wright progressing through her heat today. Macaulay looked insync in both her heats, even knocking out event favorite Stephanie Gilmore in the Round of 32.
Californian youngster Caitlin Simmers continued her run of form on the Gold Coast, moving into the Quarterfinals where she will take on van Dijk. Hawaiian standout Bettylou Sakura Johnson was able to overcome Yolanda Hopkins in their Round of 16 matchup as Sakura-Johnson looks to find her way back onto the Dream Tour for 2023.
Challenger Series Journeyman Look For Dream Start to 2022 Season
Ramzi Boukhiam has long been touted one of the most talented competitors to not yet qualify for the elite CT with much of the praise being directed at his impeccable backside surfing thanks to his time on the long right-hand points of Morocco. Coming into the event here at Snapper Rocks, Boukhiam was pegged as a dark-horse and to this point, he hasn't disappointed - putting up some solid heat totals to progress into the Round of 16 and bank a keeper result in event one of the 2022 CS.
"I feel this Challenger Series is really good for me and to start here on the Gold Coast has been perfect," said Boukhiam. ‘There's some great venues for us to look forward to on this tour and it feels like a fresh tour post Covid. I'm 29 years old now, I've been competing hard for a number of years but I really feel now is my time!"
Portuguese Powerhouse Vasco Ribeiro is another competitor built for the waves of the Championship Tour with a super powerful frontside carve which has been on full display this week on the Gold Coast. Ribeiro put on a great performance today to progress into the Round of 16 along with Hawaiian Ian Gentil as the pair took another step in the right direction towards achieving their dream of qualifying for the CT in 2023.
"I'm especially happy with this new Challenger series and it's going to plan for me at the moment because I'm through to finals day tomorrow" said Ribiero. "Snapper Rocks is an amazing venue and I hope all the Challenger venues can give us waves like this - It's been incredible and I'm ready for tomorrow."
Taking over control of another big day at the famed pointbreak, Jackson Baker led the surge into finals day with a 9.17 spectacle. (Full interview in video above.
Surfing Icons Descend on Snapper Rocks
The last heat of the day saw a special treat for surfing fans online and on the beach as some of the all time greats of surfing, all with close connections to this famous Snapper Rocks surf break put on an expression session display. All are favorites of the Gold Coast's large surfing fan base but clearly led by 11 time World Champion Kelly Slater along with regular local past WSL greats Mark Occhilupo, Josh Kerr, Dean Morrison, Kate Wilcomes and Chelsea Hedges.
Finals day call will be made Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 a.m. AEST.
The 2022 Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro presented by Rip Curl Challenger Series event will run at Snapper Rocks from May 7 - 14.
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