Merewether surfer Ryan Callinan put one foot inside qualification for the second half of the Championship Tour with a career-best semi-final result at Sunset Beach on Thursday (AEDT).
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Callinan, who had fallen in the round of 32 in his past two visits to the Hawaiian break and struggled there even on the qualifying series, rose to ninth on the CT rankings with the third-place finish at the second stop on tour.
The 31-year-old lost to West Australian natural-footer and eventual event winner Jack Robinson 16.1 to 13.1 in the semis after earlier beating countryman Liam O'Brien in the quarters on finals day.
It was a great result for Callinan, who exited in the round of 32 in the season-opener at Pipeline. The finish at Sunset puts Callinan in a great position to make the top 22 when the mid-season cut hits after stop No.5 at Margaret River.
"I have no idea what's gotten into me," Callinan said after his win over O'Brien..
"Sunset has been notoriously tricky for my whole career, but it feels like it's starting to click maybe, after 12 years of coming here.
"I don't know what's happening but I'm really enjoying surfing it, and being able to surf the way I want to on the wave. Normally I feel like I'm just surviving out there, so it's nice to put together some nice scores."
The goofy-footer had the better of the opening exchange with Robinson, getting a 5.17 for a two-turn combo on the second wave of a set. Robinson went on the first and kicked out for a 1.83.
Robinson led briefly at the midway point when bagging a 7.0 for two quality snaps before falling on the third. Callinan, though, hit back quickly with a 5.07 from one massive turn to lead 10.24 to 8.83.
Robinson, last year's world No.5, required only a 3.24 to retake the advantage and he got that and more inside the final 11 minutes with a hack and wrap-around combination for an 8.0.
Callinan was left chasing a 9.83, which he cut to a 9.2 when he peeled off two sharp turns on a bumpy wave with seven minutes to go for a 5.8.
Robinson held priority but Callinan found a good wave inside the last three minutes, earning a 7.3 from three hits, including a finish under the falling lip.
However, Robinson answered straight back with an 8.1 with three quality moves of his own to seal victory.
He went on to defeat Kanoa Igarashi in the final 18.04 to 15.16 and jump to second in the rankings.
Callinan dominated his quarter-final against O'Brien 16.0 to 12.1, putting on a clinic of backhand power surfing.
He started with a 4.83 from three turns eight minutes in before two vertical hits at the midway point gave him a 7.0.
Regular-footer O'Brien had scores of 4.57 and 5.77 from two-turn combinations on smaller waves. He needed a 6.07 to catch Callinan before an exchange with 12 minutes left decided the contest.
O'Brien fell on his finishing turn before Callinan pulled off three huge flowing turns, including a crazy finish under the falling lip, on a gem of a wave. He earned a 9.0, leaving O'Brien chasing two more quality scores.
O'Brien got a 6.33 in the final minutes, which left him still needing a 9.67.
In the women's final, Central Coast tyro Molly Picklum defended her Sunset title and clinched the yellow jersey as the rankings leader, beating local star Bettylou Sakura Johnson 11.83 to 8.67.
Like their semi-final at Pipe, when Picklum nailed a perfect 10, it came down to the final minutes. The Hawaiian needed a 4.66 to lead, but she was unable to find another wave.
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
