Keramas shuffled the deck of the women’s tour. Much like Snapper, the perfect rights and dreamy conditions on offer dealt the Californian girl next door, Lakey Peterson, a pair of aces, and in the end, her second win of the year, one that sees her back at the pointy end of the Jeep Leaderboard. The event itself was spectacular, giving the WSL marketing team everything they had asked for – “high performance surfing” on a trash covered beach that the WSL tour bus could clean, holding the hands of sick children as the cameramen clicked and their good Samaritan snaps hit the world’s Instagram accounts.
In the quarters, Steph, who had looked like the surfer to beat both in the jersey and out, had a shocker and succumbed to Tattiana’s backhand barrage. Tatti’s razor sharp vertical assault, delivered blow after blow. However, with seconds left on the clock Steph swung on a wave that could’ve delivered the required score, but only nailed her coffin shut with a buried rail, gifting the goofy footer a semi final showdown with Tyler. “I Knew she would want to win in these conditions, but I really wanted to show I could beat her in perfect rights.” Tatti reflected after the heat. After all, perfect right barrels are kind of Steph’s thing.
Lakey’s semi saw her take down the in-form Sally Fitzgibbons. Had it been barrelling the south coast superstar would have been hard to beat. Sally had consistently been dropping the highest single wave scores throughout the event for her time in the tube. But alas, the elements had other plans. The trade winds began to puff just as the girls paddled out and subsequently Sal’s run was stopped short with some serious woman turns by Lakey.
Throughout the event Mikey Wright’s majestic mullet whipped the tails of those who dared cross him. An inspired Tyler took a trick from her brother’s book and tenaciously turned her way to the Finals. Mikey’s wrecking balls have made many of the Brazilian contingent come for the judges, blades drawn. The fairer Wright sibling held the Culburra crest as she took down both female Brazilians on her way to the final, starting with Silvana and tying it up with Tati. Tyler looked fiercely competitive and glimpses of her past world title glory shone through. But they were just that, glimpses of gold. There’s something missing in Ms Wright’s campaign this year, something the world champ admits. “I like making heats,” she mused referencing her lacklustre start to the year. “It feels good to be making heats. I haven’t made enough this season, so yeah it feels good.”
In the end she fell one heat short of victory. But Lakey had been the in form surfer of the event and her victory was deserved.
The short turn around to the Uluwatu event meant many of the girls weren’t to be seen at last nights Single fin soiree, although the few that showed face would be feeling shady today.
