Isabella Nichols has pulled off a shock victory in the last 16 of the World Surf League’s El Salvador leg, then revealed teh win will likely cause her to miss her sister’s wedding.
The Queenslander upset 2023 WSL champion Caroline Marks, winner of the previous leg in Portugal and event favourite after back-to-back victories in El Salvador.
Nichols’s win earned her a quarterfinal against Bettylou Sakura Johnson, who defeated Australia’s Tyler Wright in the only other heat to take place on a truncated day’s competition on the Pacific coast at Punta Roca.
But it also meant, after delays getting on the water, that she was unlikely to be able to make her sibling’s big day.
“I just want to give a shout-out to my sister, and this might make me a bit emotional, but I think getting through that heat means maybe I’ll miss her wedding,” Nichols said.
“So for me it’s a tough one. It’s a bittersweet win, but just want to say ‘I love you so much’.”
With Nichols currently 11th, and only the top 10 going through after the cut following leg seven at Margaret River, Nichols will hope the sacrifice is worth it, because she could do with a good placing ahead of the Australian swing.
Isabella Nichols left it late in the round of 16, with her best two scores coming from her last two rides of the heat. (Getty Images: World Surf League/Aaron Hughes)
In three- to four-foot waves in slower sets with a series of falls, Nichols posted a 7.17 (out of a possible 10) followed by a 5.13 in her last two scoring rides to defeat Marks 12.30-9.66.
“It’s been a tough few days,” Nichols said. “I’ve put this jersey on for a third time now and I guess third time lucky.
“It’s been really stop-starty, and the emotional roller-coaster we go through just to get ready for one heat and having to do that a bunch of times, it’s been tough.
“To be able to pull through that one was nice after a shaky start. I hadn’t surfed a wave for 20 minutes, so my legs weren’t really working.”
Wright lost 11.50-9.53 to Johnson after the Hawaiian established an early lead Wright was never able to close.
“Just knowing that the ocean was super slow this morning, I knew to capitalise on those bigger sets when they did come in,” Johnson said.
“Coming up against Tyler, she’s a world champion, she’s hard to beat. I’m definitely happy to get over that one.”
Johnson is currently 13th, close behind Nichols, adding spice to their meeting.
Already in the quarterfinals is another Australian, Molly Picklum, who will face Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy when the women get back on the water. The victor will face the winner of the Nichols-Johnson match-up.
The men’s round-of-16 action features Ethan Ewing, Joel Vaughan, Ryan Callinan, Jack Robinson and George Pittar, the last two against each other.
AAP
