Surfing: Defay (FRA) wins matchup of Team France surfers in Heat #3
Johanne Defay of France has advanced to the quarter finals after winning her Round 3 heat against fellow French surfer and Tahitian local Vahine Fierro.
It was a classic back and forth heat between the surfers, with Fierro (FRA) primarliy opting to hunt set waves and barrels and Defay (FRA) focusing instead on whatever was available and using her strong backhand approach to crank powerful turns in critical places. Ultimately, it was Defay (FRA) who came out on top with the heat’s two highest wave scores and a combined total of 9.0. Â
For much of the heat, it felt as though the momentum was with the local, Fierro (FRA). She was finding the bigger waves and pulling into the best tubes of the day thus far. But it was Defay’s (FRA) approach and execution that proved better suited for the tricky conditions. She advanced courtesy of a 5.00 and a 4.00Â to Fierro’s pair of 3.77s.