Plenty of talent in surfing knockout round
After strong starts to the World Surfing League season, Australian pair Owen Wright and Adrian Buchan face a battle to progress at the Margaret River Pro.
After disappointing opening rounds, the pair have been forced to go through the sudden-death second rounds to remain in contention. On Sunday, they face David Delroy-Carr and Mikey Wright respectively.
Wright, fifth at the Gold Coast and Bells Beach events, managed just 4.03 from his best two waves in round one. Jack Robinson claimed that heat with 13.94. His two recorded waves (8.27 and 5.67) were both better than Owen's combined total.
Buchan, who lost the season-opening final to Julian Wilson, fell foul of Saturday's difficult scoring conditions, as did Bells winner Italo Ferreira, who was also scheduled for Sunday knockout action.
Joel Parkinson top-scored on a tough day, with 10.34, in the final men's heat, against Michael Bourez and Patrick Gudauskas, and confirmed conditions were tough.
"I was lucky I got one set; that was pretty much it," he said. "There wasn't really an opportunity for anyone else, even me, after that.
"That was just experience. There were still fun waves out there - just not a lot of opportunity."
Reigning world champion Tyler Wright and highly rated Lakey Peterson are the highest profile of the women in the round-two knockout rounds.
Peterson was beaten by impressive 16-year-old Caroline Marks. Wright watched on as Tatiana Weston-Webb scored a 9.0, the highest wave of the day.
The women were competing at the difficult North Point break for the first time. While there was reportedly some initial reluctance from some of the competitors, Hawaiian Malia Manuel appeared the only one to get into any trouble. Late in her heat, the last of the day, she needed to be towed away from the rocks.
Current tour leader Steph Gilmore, who won her heat with a 9.56, enjoyed the newest venue, but wouldn't mind if subsequent rounds were moved.
"We've never had a heat at 'The Box'. It would be a good wipeout highlight reel, I'm sure," she said. "Maybe Main Break. If we can get it clean and bigger, not the in-between size it is now."
