Bethany Hamilton Scores Wildcard For Outerknown Fiji Pro

Photo: Rip Curl
 

Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji (Wednesday, May 24, 2017) – Bethany Hamilton (USA) has once again scored the wildcard to the fifth stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the Outerknown Fiji Pro.

In 2016 she was also awarded the wildcard to the event and she surfed with success all the way to the semifinals, taking down current WSL Women’s World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) in the process.

“Last year was amazing,” Bethany said, when she heard the news about the wildcard. “Yet I know I have to focus and go in to this event fresh. It is a new year and, as usual, competition will be tough. I feel like I’m surfing better than ever though, so I can’t help but be excited!”

Bethany, famous for her strength, finesse and power in big waves, poses a considerable threat to the best female surfers in the world – and as of May 28, she’ll be joining that elite group, the WSL Top 17, to put her skills on display.

The waiting period for the event runs from May 28 – June 2, 2017, and Surfline, the official forecaster for the Outerknown Women’s Fiji Pro, are calling for a potential swell on the 31st as well as a larger swell for the end of the waiting period.

When the surf lights up at Cloudbreak, you can bet you’ll see Bethany doing the same. Tune in via the LIVE broadcast on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app or the WSL 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.
 

Outerknown Fiji Women’s Pro Round 1 Match-Ups:

Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Silvana Lima (BRA)
Heat 2: Johanne Defay (FRA), Sage Erickson (USA), Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW), Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Coco Ho (HAW), Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Keely Andrew (AUS), Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 6: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), Carissa Moore (HAW), Laura Enever (AUS)