Sports
Ryan Callinan Advances in Fiji Pro as Ethan Ewing Fights for Top-Five Position
Ryan Callinan has made significant strides in the World Surf League as he progresses to the round of 16 at the Fiji Pro. The competition took place at Cloudbreak, where Callinan faced South African surfer Matt McGillivray during the elimination round.
In challenging conditions characterized by heavy waves, Callinan emerged victorious with a total score of 11.34 against McGillivray’s 10.6. This win places Callinan in 13th position in the live standings. However, he remains out of contention for the top-five finals set to take place at Lower Trestles.
His upcoming clash will be against fellow Australian Ethan Ewing, who currently occupies the fifth spot on the rankings. Ewing needs to secure a win to maintain his position amidst strong competition from challengers.
Throughout the heat, Callinan demonstrated his determination by catching 12 waves while McGillivray managed to ride 10. Both surfers faced difficulties in completing their rides due to the barreling and dangerous surf conditions.
During the heat’s closing moments, Callinan needed a score of 5.93 to take the lead. He executed critical maneuvers on two significant waves, ultimately earning a score of 6.67 with under eight minutes remaining, which proved to be the decisive factor in the heat.
Reflecting on his performance, Callinan stated, “Coming back for the final comp on a holiday island with a really long no shot to make the top five, it was just trying to find the motivation of why I’m here.” He expressed his goal to still potentially enter the top ten and highlighted the tricky conditions of the surf.
Previously, Callinan had a strong start in his opening round heat against world-ranked number three, Jack Robinson, and Hawaiian surfer Imaikalani deVault. He began with a score of 6.33 from a good wave before accumulating points throughout the heat.
Meanwhile, Newcastle-based surfer Tyler Wright also performed well by winning her opening round heat against Brisa Hennessy and Johanne Defay, further contributing to the Australian team’s progress in the championship.
