Sally Fitzgibbons has missed the World Surf League’s mid-season cut in heartbreaking fashion after falling just short in her quarter-final battle at the Margaret River Pro.
The equation for Fitzgibbons was simple - win the event and she’s safe, lose and she goes back to the Challenger Series. But her hopes were ended at the quarter-final stage when she suffered a 12.67-12.17 loss to Sawyer Lindblad on Sunday.
Waves were at a premium during the battle, and Fitzgibbons needed 6.18 on her second scoring wave to go through. With 33 seconds remaining, Fitzgibbons took off on a big wave that had all the necessary power to give her the points she needed.
But with everything on the line, Fitzgibbons’ turns were too timid, resulting in a score of 5.67 and elimination from the event.
Despite the disappointment of missing the mid-season cut, 33-year-old Fitzgibbons was still all smiles as she came to shore. A game of rock-paper-scissor decided which young fan she gave her jersey to, and she gave another young fan her leg rope.
Fellow Australian India Robinson will also be relegated to the Challenger Series after losing a tight quarter-final tussle to Gabriela Bryan. A teary Robinson was comforted by her coach after missing the cut.
Molly Picklum was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Brisa Hennessy, leaving Tyler Wright as the sole Australian in the women’s semi-finals after she downed world No.1 Caitlin Simmers.
Australian wildcard George Pittar continued his giant-killing run by defeating Griffin Colapinto in the men’s quarter-finals. Pittar pulled off a magical barrel late in the heat for a 9.50 ride that helped him win the heat.
Jack Robinson joined Pittar in the semi-finals after pulling off some late heroics in his clash with Imaikalani deVault. Robinson needed at least 7.34 to advance when he took off on a wave with 43 seconds remaining. The Australian’s two-turn combination on the big wave was enough to earn him an 8.33 ride.
Ethan Ewing was the first casualty in Sunday’s four-to-six foot conditions when he lost his round of 16 encounter against Seth Moniz. Ewing was on track to reach the quarter-finals before Moniz pulled off a 8.17 ride in the dying minutes of their heat to pull off victory.
The win ensured Moniz made the mid-season cut.