SALLY Fitzgibbons and Steph Gilmore lost their chance to take control of the world title race at the Swatch Pro but Keely Andrew and Adrian Buchan are still in with a shot at winning for Australia at Trestles.
While Buchan advanced into semi-finals of the men’s Hurley Pro with his 15.57 to 15.30 defeat of Adriano de Souza, Andrew did what world title contenders Fitzgibbons and Gilmore could not on Friday — navigate their way out of the Swatch Pro women’s quarterfinals at Trestles.
Andrew beat American Sage Erickson 18.47 to 10.83 to book a spot against Courtney Conlogue in the semi-finals.
With Gilmore ousting Wright in round four, the door was open for Fitzgibbons to take the world tour lead and Gilmore to move back to the top three.
But losses to American Conlogue and Silvana Lima by Fitzgibbons and Gilmore respectively saw the script rewritten, with Andrew now the only Aussie left in the women’s world tour event at Trestles.
Buchan is also flying the flag on his own for Australia but says he is in a good space at the US event.
“Not too many Aussie left at all so this is really good,” Buchan said.
“I feel relaxed and confident here, it’s a place I like.
“It would be serious to win. It’s been a couple of years now. I’d love it.”