THE Wright family have provided Australian surfing with some of its best moments in the past couple of years — and now there’s another one making a name for himself.
Mikey Wright, the younger brother of two-time women’s world champion Tyler and perennial men’s championship contender Owen, is sending shockwaves through the opening event of the 2018 World Surf League season.
Handed a wildcard entry to the competition at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast, the 21-year-old from Ballina just pulled off the incredible feat of beating world champions in consecutive heats.
A day after shocking two-time defending world champion John John Florence in the second round, Wright upstaged 2014 world champion Gabriel Medina in the third round on Wednesday.
Medina, who has finished in the tour’s top three four consecutive times, managed 14.90 but that still wasn’t enough to eclipse Wright’s tally of 16.07 in the high-scoring heat.
“It was nerve-racking as the clock was counting down,” Wright said.
“I had a game plan to take the inside off him out of the start and I did that but it wasn’t easy and he worked hard.”
The win meant the Brazilian has only made it past the Snapper Rocks third round two times in seven attempts. “It was tricky,” Medina said. “I feel good but it happens.”
It also left Wright on track to meet older brother Owen in a later round after the defending champion cruised through his third round matchup with Brazil’s Willan Cardoso 14.50 to 9.04.
The older Wright’s win at Snapper last year had the surf community in tears because it was his first event back on tour after a horror wipe-out in Hawaii almost cost him his career.
The brother on brother match-ups could become common place if the younger Wright continues his hot form.
He currently leads the men’s qualifying series after picking up a win in Newcastle and a ninth-placed finish in Manly.
Retiring Australian star Mick Fanning also eased into the fourth round after toppling Californian Connor Coffin 11.67 to 7.37.
But the news wasn’t so good for former finalist Kolohe Andino, who was shown the door by longtime qualifying series battler Tomas Hermes.
Brazilian Hermes, who joined the tour aged 31 after finally reaching the higher ranks of the second-tier qualifying series, said he wasn’t focused on his opponents.
“I’m not a guy who competes with others, I just compete with myself,” he said.
Australia’s Adrian Buchan and Brazil’s Filipe Toledo also moved through.