World women’s champion Carissa Moore says it’s strange going into the first event of the world surfing championship year as the girl with the target on her back.
The 19-year-old from Hawaii, who won her first world crown last year, is also the defending champion of the Roxy Pro which is due to kick off at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
“It’s crazy coming into the first event of the season as the top seed,” she said.
“I’ve never been in that position before and it’s definitely different.
“I’ve been a wildcard before and you go into the event with no pressure and that’s really neat.”
But Moore said paddling out as world and defending event champion is a new and daunting experience.
“But it’ll be great, I hope I can just have a good time and perform.”
Four-time world champion and local favourite Stephanie Gilmore is determined to begin the year with a win.
Gilmore is hungry for a clean start to this year’s campaign for a fifth world crown, after a shocking start to last season when she was attacked outside her Gold Coast home.
The court case against the man accused of assaulting her is still dragging on in the NSW courts but Gilmore is determined not to let it distract her.
And fellow Aussie, world No.2 Sally Fitzgibbons who placed second at Snapper last year, is also rated highly this time around.
Fitzgibbons said it was vital she gets off to a good start with a Gold Coast win.
“All those new rookies are hungry and the past and current world champions are just raring to go, we’re hoping the waves come to the party and I’m just excited to get going,” she said.
Four-time world champion Lisa Anderson, one of the superstars of women’s surfing, failed in her bid to win a wildcard entry.
Anderson, 42, was eliminated from Friday’s trials by Dimity Stoyle, 20, from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Philippa Anderson, 19, from Newcastle.
Anderson retired in 2003 and was given a wildcard in the Roxy Pro the following year, but hadn’t donned a competitor’s singlet since.
The men’s Quiksilver Pro is set to commence on Sunday.
