Gilmore progressed in the smoothest fashion, winning her first round head to progress directly through to round three.
Riding 5.63 and 5.33 waves for a 10.96 total, Gilmore managed to defeat defending champion Sage Erickson.
.@jeep leader, @Steph_gilmore defeats @Sageerickson and #KirraPinkerton in Rd 1, Heat 3 of the #VansUSOpen | Watch Live 👉 https://t.co/dtKMAWi0iv pic.twitter.com/xfK9EtVUPG
— World Surf League (@wsl) August 3, 2018
Van Dijk and Fitzgibbons were both forced into the second round elimination heats where Van Dijk eliminated Erickson and Fitzgibbons eliminated fellow Aussie Bronte Macaulay.
.@nikkivandijk_ defeats @sageerickson in Rd 2, Heat 1 of the #VansUSOpen | Watch Live 👉 https://t.co/dtKMAWi0iv pic.twitter.com/bb5W4UPSF0
— World Surf League (@wsl) August 3, 2018
.@Sally_Fitz defeats @bronte_macaulay in Rd 2, Heat 2 of the #VansUSOpen | Watch Live 👉 https://t.co/dtKMAWi0iv pic.twitter.com/qfTSqSftlG
— World Surf League (@wsl) August 3, 2018
Macy Callaghan and Keely Andrew also had to surf off in the elimination round but were knocked out by Tatiana Weston-Webb and…
