Source : ABC NEWS
Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons has gone down swinging in the Gold Coast Pro final, with Hawaiian Bettylou Sakura Johnson claiming victory.
In the men’s final, Fitzgibbons’s compatriot Julian Wilson lost to Brazilian Filipe Toledo.
Fitzgibbons was hunting her first Championship Tour (CT) title in four years.
The 34-year-old threw everything at Sakura Johnson, surfing a mammoth 13 waves, but fell short with a two-wave score of 7.83 to her opponent’s impressive tally of 15.33.
Fitzgibbons was on the back foot from the start of the final, with 20-year-old Sakura Johnson posting a score of 8.50 on her first wave in front of a huge crowd at Burleigh Heads.
The Australian went to the air four times, trying to stick a landing that would give her a score to put her back in contention, but she was unable to seal the deal.
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It was Sakura Johnson’s second win of the day over an Australian, having earlier eliminated Molly Picklum in the quarterfinals.
“It’s so special and I feel amazing,” Sakura Johnson said.
“I’m so over the moon.”
Wilson, 36, squared off against Toledo in a repeat of their 2015 Gold Coast Pro final.
They went blow for blow, with the crowd packed on the headland roaring its approval for both veterans as they repeatedly took to the air.
Toledo won a thrilling contest, 17.60 to 17.20.
“It was crazy with the rematch with Jules,” Toledo said.
“With Jules coming back to the tour, winning the trial and going all the way, it was such a special moment for him.”
AAP
