Marks (USA) looking for some tube time while winning her Round 3 heat

Surfing: Marks (USA) first to advance to Women’s quarter finals 

Reigning Women’s World Champion Caroline Marks of Team USA has won her Round 3 matchup with Yang Siqi from the People’s Republic of China. 

After a couple days of less than ideal wave condtions, surfing action resumed this morning in  Tahiti with Women’s Round 3. Just after sunrise, a lumpy but clean-faced overhead swell greeted Marks (USA) and Yang (CHN) during Heat #1. With the swell coming from a more southerly direction today, the waves seem to be suited more for turns and carves than the tube bonanza that the men enjoyed during their historic Round 3 action on Tuesday morning. 

Yang (CHN) was the first to catch a wave but found herself stuck between getting barreled or making turns. The result was a .5. Marks (USA) soon countered with a solid double overhead drop and a stylish frontside carve to open her scoring with a 2.00, taking the lead and never looking back. She quickly followed with a 2.6 and then a 4.33, the latter proving to be the highest wave score of the heat.

For her part, Yang (CHN) never could find her rhythm in the heat. The youngest competitor in the contest, the 15 year old goofy foot charged several of the larger waves to come through, looking for a tube that just didn’t materialize. She finished with a total heat score of 1.63.