FIJI — The Outerknown Fiji Women’s Pro, Stop No. 5 on the 2017 World Surf League Championship Tour, did not run the final Thursday — the last day of the competition window — due to poor conditions. The men’s and
FIJI — The Outerknown Fiji Women’s Pro, Stop No. 5 on the 2017 World Surf League Championship Tour, did not run the final Thursday — the last day of the competition window — due to poor conditions.
The men’s and women’s Commissioners (Kieren Perrow and Jessi Miley-Dyer) have coordinated to allow the women’s final to take place on Sunday morning Fiji Time, Saturday morning Hawaii Time, the opening day of the men’s window, when the surf is projected to be solid.
“Final day of the window and we don’t have any surf on offer,” Miley-Dyer said. “The concept behind the OK Fiji Pro is to have both the men and women challenge themselves in solid, critical conditions. We can’t always promise that and while we’ve had some impressive surfing already this week, conditions deteriorated too rapidly to complete the event. Coordinating with Commissioner Kieren Perrow and our events team across logistics, we’re very excited to announce that the women’s Final of the OK Fiji Pro will be held Sunday morning in projected solid surf at Cloudbreak.”
Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW), two of the hardest-charging surfers in the field, will battle for the event title in solid six-foot (10 foot faces) Cloudbreak in front of the world’s best male surfers as they await the commencement of Round 1.
Weston-Webb, of Princeville, earned her first finals appearance of 2017 with a string of incredible victories that saw her take down two-time event winner Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), three-time WSL champion Carissa Moore (HAW) and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS).
“It’s really taken a lot of self belief to get here and I’m so happy I made the final,” said Weston-Webb. “I’m really excited that the WSL has chosen to give us a huge opportunity, surf some big waves and explore possibilities. It’s definitely going to be exciting and I hope to really put on a show for everyone.”
Conlogue stormed her way to the final by defeating reigning WSL champion and No. 1 on the Jeep Leaderboard Tyler Wright (AUS) and defending event winner Johanne Defay (FRA).
“I’m so looking forward to this Final knowing that WSL is giving us the opportunity to wait for swell,” Conlogue said. “This has never been done before and to allow us to showcase in good waves is going to be incredible and especially in a place like Fiji. To have a Final with Tatiana in swell is going to be incredible.”
Surfline, official forecaster for the event, are calling for:
Minor/flat surf prevails Friday. New, long period SW swell builds through Saturday with overhead surf developing at Cloudbreak through the morning and even larger surf in the afternoon. That swell peaks Sunday, along with new, shorter to mid period SW swell for solid surf at Cloudbreak. A new, long period SW swell picks up on Monday to keep the surf strong, before fading through mid next week. More swell is on the radar in the long range.
The event will be broadcast LIVE via WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook LIVE via the WSL’s Facebook page. Also check the local listings for coverage on CBS Sports Network in the U.S., Fox Sports in Australia, ESPN in Brazil, Sky NZ in New Zealand, SFR Sports in France and Portugal and as part of the EDGEsport Network.
