Philippa Anderson broke her run of outs on the Challenger Series (CS) with an opening-round heat win in a successful start for Merewether's trio at the US Open of Surfing.
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Anderson had bowed out in the first round at the previous three women's CS events this year, leaving her 54th on the rankings, but she lifted in small waves to take heat two on Monday (AEST) at Huntington Beach.
The 30-year-old (8.9) opened with a heat-high 4.67 and backed it up on her fourth wave with a 4.23 to win the 30-minute contest against Hawaiian Zoe McDougall (7.26), Puerto Rican Havanna Cabrero (6.34) and South African Zoe Steyn (3.8). She faces world No.10 Courtney Conlogue, Sarah Scott and Amuro Tsuzuki in the round of 32.
"That was my first heat of the Challenger Series I've made this year so I'm just so stoked," Anderson told the WSL's Andrew Nichols.
"Waves are tough but there's a few good ones when they come in. I'm super excited to be back here, I always love coming to America and seeing this event on the scale it's at once again. Hopefully I can keep the ball rolling and keep this winning feeling alive."
Conlogue (12.43) earlier won heat one, helping to eliminate Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum (8.63), who was last.
In the men's event, Merewether's Ryan Callinan won heat 22 after clubmate Morgan Cibilic was second in the 21st to also progress. Callinan, seventh on the CS, faces Cody Young, adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson and Taichi Wakita in the round of 48. Cibilic, 12th on the CS, is up against Leonardo Fioravanti, Ramzi Boukhiam and Edgard Groggia.
Callinan (11.6) defeated Brazilian Groggia (10.74), South African Joshe Faulkner (9.73) and Hawaiian Eli Hanneman (7.13) in round one.
Cibilic (8.07) was second to Hawaii's Cody Young (10.37) but ahead of Josh Burke (Barbados) (7.53) and Australian Mikey McDonagh (3.03).
Cibilic was just outside the Championship Tour qualification line before the US Open, which is the fourth of seven CS events this year, after the French contest was recently cancelled.
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Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
