GERROA'S Sally Fitzgibbons has begun her 2013 season in great form, winning the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 6-Star rated Breaka Burleigh Pro on the Gold Coast last Saturday.
World-ranked No. 2 Fitzgibbons defeated world number five, America's Courtney Conlogue, in a tense, high-scoring final, 16.00 to 15.90.
Conlogue led for most of the final and looked in control after she locked in an excellent eight-point ride early and the backed it up with a strong 7.90 ride.
With just on six minutes left in the final, Fitzgibbons, needing a score of nine to take the lead, found a good wave and unleashed a series of powerful trademark bottom-through-top-turn manoeuvres to score nine and take the win.
"I knew what I had to do late in the final and thankfully the wave co-operated and delivered the potential required to get the score," she said. "I felt I got the score when I landed the last move. I gave myself a fist pump I was that confident."
"It's a great start to 2013. I've worked hard on improving over the past few months and I'm really looking forward to the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast in a few weeks' time."
At 22, Fitzgibbons has an exceptional career record which includes runner-up in the world titles for the past three years.