Fitzgibbons survives first hurdle in bid to avoid WSL cut
The Australian surfing icon survived a broken board and pumping 8-10ft conditions at Main Break on Tuesday to advance to a round-of-16 match-up against world No.1 Gabriela Bryan.
Fitzgibbons needs a deep run into finals day, and other results to fall her way, just to edge into the top 10 and avoid falling off the World Surf League championship tour for a third successive year.
And the toll of the make-or-break situation hit the veteran hard after she made it through her heat, posting a two-wave total of 8.33 to finish behind Bettylou Sakura Johnson of Hawaii (8.84) but crucially ahead of local trails winner Willow Hardy (7.97).
'It's just a lot,' a teary Fitzgibbons said post-heat. 'I just want to keep fighting and trying my best. It's the whole scenario of riding the highs and lows of it.'
'You are sitting on the jet-ski with your board snapped, and there's three minutes to g,o and you are hearing other people getting waves and you think that's it for me.
'It's a bit of an emotional roller-coaster and then you come in and they say you made it and you live to see another day so that's pretty cool. I think that's what we love about surfing.' Sally Fitzgibbons after surfing in Heat 1 of the Elimination Round. Credit: Cait Miers / World Surf League
Even if cut, Fitzgibbons could automatically re-qualify for next year's CT by moving up just one place in the rankings.
The 34-year-old is ranked 15th, with the top 14 re-admitted for 2026 without having to fight through the challenger series due to the recently announced expanded women's field.
Fellow veteran American Lakey Peterson, 30, is just one place ahead of Fitzgibbons in the rankings and also survived the elimination round on Tuesday, meaning their fight for rankings positioning will continue through the round-of-16.
Fitzgibbons, a 12-time CT winner and three-time world title runner-up (2010, 2011, 2012), said the bomb sets had been tricky to navigate with so much on the line.
'I was a bit in survival mode, I had a few little encounters with the ledge and just getting pile-driven into that ledge and I got everything together and then snapped the board, so there was just a lot going on,' she said.
'You can't really do anything at that stage but swim for your life. I tried to do everything I could and get back out, but there was no time left.'
Erin Brooks of Canada joined Sakua Johnson, Fitzgibbons and Peterson in the next round while Nadia Erostarbe, of Spain's Basque Country, joined Hardy in elimination. Willow Hardy of Australia after surfing in Heat 1 of the Elimination Round. Credit: Cait Miers / World Surf League
Margaret River teenager Hardy said the experience of matching it with some of the world's best had been exciting, despite her not making it through.
'I learned so much and the experience was just amazing,' she said. 'I didn't really feel that nervous, I was just excited for the opportunity, especially to surf my home break when it's big, which is my favourite.'
Watch the WSL Margaret River Pro live and free on 7PLUS
WOMEN'S ELIMINATION ROUND RESULTSHEAT 1: Bettylou Sakura Johnson HAW 8.84 (5.17, 3.67), Sally Fitzgibbons AUS 8.33 (4.33, 4.00), Willow Hardy AUS 7.97 (4.37, 3.60)HEAT 2: Erin Brooks CAN 11.50 (6.00, 5.50), Lakey Peterson USA 10.27 (6.10, 4.17), Nadia Erostarbe ESP 4.47 (2.30, 2.17)
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