Jack Robinson claims first CT win

Margaret River surfing star Jack Robinson has won his first Championship Tour event at Mexico’s Corona Open held at Barra de la Cruz. It was a double Australian win at the event, with seven-time world champ Stephanie Gilmore snatching the women’s title and joining rookie Robinson masked up on the podium. Robinson’s maiden victory was also the only win so far this season for the Australian men on the circuit. Robinson now moves to 12th place on the World Surf League board, which re-qualifies him for the 2022 season, in which the tour will undergo a mid-season cut at Margaret River in April. Letting out a howl of relief in his post-heat interview, all week long Robinson had done a remarkable job of staying within himself, and said he took it one wave at a time. “I don’t even know where to start,” Robinson told assembled media. “It’s the feeling I got when I qualified. “I was trying to carry this energy all week and stay to myself. “I felt like I was in the zone.” Robinson beat Brazilian Deivid Silva in the men’s final in nailbiting fashion as he earned 15.16 points to beat Silva’s 15.14. After a lacklustre first wave, Robinson pulled off an 8.33 on his fifth attempt to secure victory. Robinson flashed some of the best surfing in the competition in the semifinals. Gilmore’s first victory of 2021 was the 32nd of her career in the women’s competition. Gilmore went toe to toe with Hawaii’s Malia Manuel in the final, but was too good as she racked up a score of 15.83 to beat Manuel’s 15.27. The world tour was called short due to COVID-19 precautions in Tahiti, the planned final stop of the circuit. The women’s and men’s final five were confirmed for the inaugural WSL finals at Lower Trestles in California.