Greek Australian Jack Robinson has made a strong start to the Tahiti Pro, comfortably winning his opening heat to sit seventh in the live World Surf League rankings.
The West Australian, who claimed a silver medal for Australia at the Olympics held at Teahupo’o last year, scored a total of 15.23 to out-surf Hawaii’s Barron Mamiya and Frenchman Marco Mignot.
Robinson is aiming to crack the top five ahead of next month’s Finals at Fiji’s Cloudbreak, the last stop where the world title will be decided. He and fellow Australian Ethan Ewing have made the Finals the past three years, with the best result coming in 2023 when Ewing finished runner-up.
Ewing, currently in the hunt for a maiden world title, survived a tense elimination round battle against Hawaiian Seth Moniz on day one of competition. The Queenslander moved back into the Finals-bound top five with his tight 15.07 to 13.00 victory.
Rankings leader Molly Picklum will have to wait to get into the water, with the women’s event held over until day two.
While Teahupo’o was pumping early on Thursday for the opening heats, the famous break lost its verve in the afternoon, with Ewing and Moniz’s heat re-started due to a lack of waves in the opening 15 minutes.
The 26-year-old, renowned for his superior wave choice, lost early priority by taking a bad option in the tricky conditions, although Moniz failed to use his advantage. Ewing clawed his way back, winning a gruelling paddle battle to gain priority over his good friend Moniz, who he is sharing accommodation with.
Moniz briefly took the lead with just over five minutes remaining, but Ewing responded immediately with a 7.57 ride to seal the win. It was a satisfying result for Ewing, who fractured his back after hitting the reef before last year’s Tahiti Pro.
“This morning was so crazy, just like some of the waves you see are pretty impressive and you’re on such a high and then it was almost a completely different day,” said Ewing, who finished fifth at the Paris Games. “I’m just really happy to get through and find some scores – it wasn’t the way I wanted to start, I started terribly – but managed to get a couple.”
Ewing admitted he couldn’t ignore what was at stake, knowing that early elimination would end his season. “It’s in my mind, all year it’s been a goal, but I’ve had a pretty up and down year so I’m just ‘whatever happens, happens’ and just trying to go out strong this year.”
Current world No.4, Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi, is in danger of slipping out of the top five after losing his sudden-death clash with local hope Mihimana Braye.
With AAP
