Sally Fitzgibbons has made the ideal start to her world title quest this year with victory at the inaugural Australian Open of Surfing in Sydney on Sunday.
The NSW south coast surfer finished second to Hawaiian Carissa Moore in the 2011 title race, and is hoping to go one better despite picking up some off-season injuries.
The 21-year-old is coming back from a fractured wrist and a left leg problem but performed brilliantly at Manly throughout the Open event and was a deserved winner over highly-ranked Peru surfer Sofia Mulanovich in the final.
Although the Australian Open isn't part of the world tour, it's an ASP 6-Star rated event and a great confidence builder for Fitzgibbons ahead of the season's opening tour event on the Gold Coast starting this Saturday.
Mulanovich performed well in the final, but Fitzgibbons timed her turns to perfection to take out the crown and claim the $7460 winner's cheque.
During the week at the Australian Open she notched four of the top 10 wave scores and two of the top three heat totals, proving she's not being hampered by her wrist and is up for another world title fight.
"It's unbelievable" Fitzgibbons said.
"I was just focusing on working through my boards and going through some heats and before I know it I'm in the final.
"Sofia (Mulanovich) is such a tough competitor, I knew she'd be able to get the score needed, so it was a nervous wait at the end there. To win in front of this crowd, with so much support feels amazing.
"Then to have won the US Open and then the first ever Australian Open back-to-back is a special achievement."
Seventeen-year-old Port Macquarie product Matt Banting won the men's event after also claiming the junior title on the Saturday.
BANTING CLAIMS MEN'S TITLES
Port Maquarie's Matt Banting won the Australian Open Surfing men's title, beating American Evan Geiselman in the final.
The 17-year-old also won the junior title after beating Australian Time Macdonald.
Australian Mitch Crews (pitcured) was knocked out in the heats. (Photo Danny Morris )
Hot favourite Australian Joel Parkinson (below) didn't make the final. (Photo Danny Morris)
