Sally Fitzgibbons has begun her 2013 season in flying form by winning the Association of Surfing Professionals 6-Star rated Breaka Burleigh Pro.
Fitzgibbons defeated world ranked number five surfer Courtney Conlogue from the USA, in a tense high scoring final on a scoreline of 16.00 to 15.90.
Conlogue led for most of the final and looked in complete control after she locked-in an excellent 8.00 ride early and backed it up shortly after with a strong 7.90 ride.
With just on six minutes remaining in the 30-minute final Fitzgibbons, requiring a very high score of 8.9 to take the lead, found a good wave and unleashed a series of well connected powerful trademark bottom-through-top-turn manoeuvres to score 9 points and take the win.
“I knew what I had to do late in the final and thankfully the wave co-operated and delivered the potential required to get the score – I felt I got the score when I landed the last move, gave myself a fist pump, I was that confident,” said Fitzgibbons.
“It’s a great start to 2013. I’ve worked hard on improving over the past few months and I’m really looking forward to the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast in a few weeks time.”
At 22 years of age, Fitzgibbons already has an exceptional professional surfing career record which includes runner-up to the world title for the past three years and clearly her focus this season is to go one better and claim a world title.
Conlogue was philosophical, but pleased with her second place result today.
“It’s a good start to the year for me and I felt like I surfed well all event – we’ve had great waves here at Burleigh and right now I feel ready for the Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks.”
“Towards the end of the final I knew I had the lead but I never under estimate Sally, she’s a great surfer and always capable of 9-point rides – I was trying to better my score and she was going for a 9 point ride – she got what she required and that’s just the way it goes sometimes” added Conlogue.
