Ewing makes it three Aussies in surf world title race
Melissa Woods |
Australia will again have three surfers challenging for a world title with Ethan Ewing joining Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum at the California one-day decider next month.
Robinson and Picklum had already secured their top-five rankings with early success at the Fiji Pro and have now been joined in the elite crew by a charging Ewing.
The world’s top-five men and women will compete in a one-day, winner-take-all contest at Lower Trestles in California next month.
Ranked fifth entering the event at Cloudbreak, Ewing moved up to No.4 thanks to his victory on Saturday morning over Hawaii’s Barron Mamiya and Robinson’s elimination of his closest rival, Brazil’s Yago Dora.
Ewing caught the judges’ eye with a power-packed 8.33 ride amongst his total of 15.50 to trump Mamiya’s 9.97 to clinch a spot in the Finals for the third successive year.
The 25-year-old Queensland finished runner-up to Brazil’s Filipe Toledo for the world title last year.
“I was getting through the heats but not really getting the good scores so I felt like I put a bit more energy into that wave,” said Ewing.
“It feels good to get a bigger score and move through.
“It feels amazing (to lock in a spot in the Finals) – this year has been a lot of ups and downs and I felt like, towards the end, I was just holding on.
“I made a lot of mistakes in a few of the comps so it feels good to secure that and get another chance at a world title.”
Olympic silver medallist Robinson had a tighter battle with the in-form Dora before securing his quarter-final triumph 12.33 to 11.60.
Robinson will take on second-ranked Griffin Colapinto in the final four later on Saturday, while Ewing faces Indonesia’s Rio Waida.
Another Brazilian, Italo Ferreira will line up at Lower Trestles, ranked fifth.
In the women’s contest at Cloudbreak, fellow Olympian Picklum faced exciting teenage wildcard Erin Brooks for a spot in the final, the Canadian rookie coached by all-time great Kelly Slater.
Already boasting the scalps of Gabriela Bryan and world No.1 Caitlin Simmers in her CT debut, the 17-year-old led from start to finish to oust Picklum, 15.26 to 11.80.
In the other semi-final, two-time world champion Tyler Wright, who was out of title contention, fell to Tatiana Weston-Webb.
Wright (6.67) had no answer to the busy Brazilian, who tallied 14.83 to climb into the top five on the back of the result.
AAP
