HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif./USA (Sunday, August 5, 2018) – Hometown heroe Courtney Conlogue (USA) won the 2018 Vans US Open of Surfing presented by Swatch in the World Surf League (WSL) Women’s Championship Tour (CT).
Conlogue’s dream of winning the esteemed US Open title as a CT contender was realized after taking down current Jeep Rankings Leader Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in amazing fashion. Conlogue’s win also comes after a sidelining foot injury sustained earlier this season.
“It’s not been the easiest road to recovery, but I fought through it all and now I’m standing here on top of the podium. It’s unbelievable,” Conlogue said. “I just have so many amazing people supporting me right now and I’m loving everything. I’m loving surfing and that’s so refreshing. But, to share such an amazing Final with Steph (Gilmore) was incredible and I’ve just been in awe of her surfing this week. I love performing for my home crowd. There’s nothing like having my family and friends here supporting me. It’s so much fun and such a challenge just with the expectation of wanting to perform, it’s been an amazing journey this week.”
The Santa Ana native waited patiently while Gilmore got busy and accrued a 9.00 (out of a possible 20) heat total. Conlogue unleashed her backhand for a near-excellent 7.33 (out of a possible 10) and put pressure on the six-time WSL Champion. Conlogue followed up brilliantly with a massive forehand strike on a hefty closeout section to earn a 6.50 and nearly solidify her first-ever US Open CT victory.
Gilmore earned her second runner-up finish at the Vans US Open, with her first event title still eluding one of the sport’s greatest but earned valuable points toward her seventh World Title campaign. After Conlogue eliminated World No. 2 Lakey Peterson (USA) in the Quarterfinals, the opportunity for Gilmore to capitalize on extending her lead was wide open. Gilmore now leads the World Rankings with 4,000 points over Peterson heading into the Surf Ranch Pro.
“Huntington is a tough one for me, I love it here but I’m always finding myself just struggling to get a good result so to come here and get a second place is great,” Gilmore said. “Courtney (Conlogue) was on fire after coming back from that injury and I’m stoked for her to get that win. And she knocked out Lakey (Peterson) which is pretty nice, but I proved to myself that if I really apply everything I have that I can still get a good result.”
Nearly earning her first CT US Open Finals appearance, after claiming back-to-back Pro Junior titles in 2015 and 2016, Caroline Marks (USA) notched another Semifinal result in her 2018 rookie campaign and moves into No. 6 on the Jeep Leaderboard.
Carissa Moore (HAW) made her long-awaited, first Semifinals appearance of the season and fell just short of the Final due to a last-minute score from Gilmore that eliminated the Hawaii surfer as the clock ran out.
Vans US Open Women’s CT Final Results:
1 – Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.83 10,000 points
2 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 11.86 8,000 points
Vans US Open Women’s CT Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 11.77 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.36
SF 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.27 def. Caroline Marks (USA) 11.26
Vans US Open Women’s CT Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.83 def. Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.33
QF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.70 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.93
QF 3: Caroline Marks (USA) 14.60 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.60
QF 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.97 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.64
2018 Women’s WSL CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Vans US Open of Surfing)
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 53,375 pts
2 – Lakey Peterson (USA) 48,175 pts
3 – Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 38,330 pts
4 – Johanne Defay (FRA) 31,795
5 – Carissa Moore (HAW) 31,235