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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Gilmore, Burrow bag Gold Coast surfing double

TONY BARTLETT
Stephanie Gilmore sent a clear warning to rivals after she and Taj Burrow clinched an Australian double in the season-opening surfing world championship events on the Gold Coast.

Local heroine Gilmore showed she was back in the mood to secure a fifth world title as she snatched victory from countrywoman Laura Enever with a 9.2 wave in the last minute to win the the Roxy Pro final 16.37 to 14.2.

Burrow gave early hope that an Australian can stop Kelly Slater running off with a 12th men's world crown as he won a thrilling Quiksilver Pro final from Brazil's Adriano De Souza, while 40-year-old Slater fell to Gold Coast's Josh Kerr in the quarters.

Gilmore said the new season felt like the reverse of her last season, which was marred by the after effects of an attack by a man wielding an iron bar near her home.

She won only one event while battling to third place in the 2011 series behind Hawaii's Carissa Moore, having won the world crown the previous four years.

''I'm 100 per cent more confident, my strength, my whole knowledge, awareness, everything. I just feel really good,'' said Gilmore after her win.

In the men's event, Burrow grabbed the highest wave score of the final, a 9.43, halfway through but De Souza fought back and the result hung in the balance until the judges tallied their scorecards and the West Australian prevailed 15.86 to 15.60.