The world’s best female surfers returned to Jeffreys Bay on Friday for the first time since 2000 when Rounds One and Two of the Women’s Corona Open J-Bay, were contested in 1.3 – two-metre waves at the world-famous Supertubes.
The goofyfooters stole the show, at this, stop No.6 on World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), with Round One’s biggest wins going to surfers who rode with their right foot in front like South African event wildcard Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), world No3 Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), second-year CT member Bronte Macaulay (AUS) and rookie Caroline Marks (AUS).
Buitendag, who spent four years on the CT, dropped off the elite tour at the end of 2016, showed the benefits of her local knowledge with a huge win over world No1 Lakey Peterson (USA) and Malia Manuel (HAW) in Round One Heat Three.
The local hero clinched the massive upset with an impressive 8.87 points on her final ride in the 35-minute encounter. In her post-heat interview, Buitendag admitted her struggled with a recent back injury, but that did not stop her from taking a big win in front of her home crowd.
‘I think for all the girls it is hard to believe we are actually here,’ said Buitendag. ‘It is actually four-to-six foot (1.3 – 2 metres) and running all the way down, so it is a bit surreal but we are settling into it. I’m very happy to be here.
‘Maybe it doesn’t seem so, but every time I try to bottom-turn or finish a turn, it kind of locks up in my lower back. I’ve been working twice a day to recover. I guess I’m ready, I’m here and making some heats.’
Peterson’s loss to Buitendag relegated her to Round Two where she matched up with Nicole Pallet (ZAF). Pallet received a late call-up to her career-first CT event to replace Tyler Wright (AUS), who withdrew on the morning due to influenza.
With elimination on the line, Peterson pushed her surfing to the excellent range with a near-perfect 9.00 and the win over Pallet. Peterson advanced to Round Three, while Pallet was eliminated in equal 13th place.
‘I obviously never want to be in Round Two, but I was stoked to get another heat out there,’ Peterson said. ‘It has been hard because the guys have been running out there all week, but the more time you get out there, the better, especially in a jersey.’
Pallet, the reigning WSL Africa regional women’s champion, was elated to get the late call-up to replace Wright and get a chance to compete in her first CT event against her surfing heroines in great waves.
‘It was a last minute call-up and I didn’t really have the right equipment, but my legs were like jelly as I was sitting out there competing with my favourite surfers on the CT. It was almost not real, such a dream,’ said Pallet. ‘My first heat was against Silvana Lima and Bronte Macaulay, and I finished third, and in the next round, I had Lakey Peterson.
‘It was quite intimidating just being in the competitors’ area, their warm-ups are so gnarly, so I took my equipment down to the beach and did my preparation there like a QS event. But in the end I had fun and I learnt a lot. These girls are so controlled, a lot stronger and fitter. It was really inspiring, so I’m going to go home and work harder and try to get to their level.’
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), six-time WSL champion, defeated fellow Australians Nikki Van Dijk and Macy Callaghan in Round One Heat Four. Gilmore attacked the Supertubes sets to garner two solid seven-point rides and direct entry into Round Three.
‘That feeling of waking up, peering out the window, and seeing a six-foot set is the greatest feeling in the world,’ said Gilmore. ‘Then, knowing you get to paddle and surf it with nobody else is such a joy. It can be overwhelming and you have to remind yourself that this is a contest. It was a fun heat and I am so happy to be here and surfing. I watched Filipe (Toledo) win yesterday and it was so inspiring. I feel like I didn’t even get started out there. I’ve got so much more to give.’
The second Round 1 heat, featuring Macaulay, Lima, and Pallet, witnessed domination by the Australian with a 15.43 heat total (out of a possible 20). Macaulay threw down big turns on her backhand for the win, with Lima in second with a 13.83, and Pallet in third with a 4.37.
‘I’ve definitely heard a lot about J-Bay and even from Western Australia it is actually quite close,’ Macaulay said. ‘It is very similar to Western Australia with the cold morning and the offshores, kind of like more harsh conditions but beautiful at the same time.
‘I feel like i am learning a lot and it is hard, you are going against the best surfers in the world. I’m pretty much a regular surfer from Gracetown who grew up pretty normally. They are the best and I am learning. This is my second year so I am taking it slow. I’ll do my best, there’s still a lot to improve on.’
Caroline Marks (USA), 16, continues to rack up heat wins in her rookie year on the elite CT. Marks claimed a big opening win over three-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) and CT veteran Coco Ho (HAW). Marks will now be against Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb and Macaulay in Round Three.
Weston-Webb claimed the highest heat total of the day with a 16.37 combined score over Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Keely Andrew (AUS). Both Conlogue and Andrew surfed again in Round Two where they were eliminated by Moore and Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), respectively.
Australians Sally Fitzgibbons and Macy Callaghan were also eliminated today in Round Two against their respective opponents, Coco Ho (HAW) and Johanne Defay (FRA).
A bad fall on her opening wave in Round One Heat Two caused an injury to Brazilian Silvana Lima’s knee and forced her to withdraw from Round Two against Malia Manuel (HAW).
Photo: Buitendag in J-Bay action, by WSL/Cestari