Billy Stairmand was eliminated in the round of 16. Photo / Getty Images
Billy Stairmand was eliminated in the round of 16. Photo / Getty Images
The Olympic debuts of Ella Williams and Billy Stairmand have come to an end, with the Kiwi surfers eliminated in the round of 16.
After an impressive showing on the opening day of the competition, the pair were unable to make it out of their one-on-one elimination heats, with Williamsfalling to Costa Rican star Brisa Hennessy, and Stairmand eliminated by reigning world champion Italo Ferreira of Brazil.
Being eliminated in the round of 16, the pair finish in a joint ninth place in their competitions.
With the swell increasing in size from the first day of competition, wave selection was a pivotal part of the day. Williams, 26, found little success with the waves she was choosing, while Hennessy was finding the right waves and making the most of the scoring opportunities.
The major turning point in the heat came just after the halfway mark when Williams held priority – meaning she had first-choice of waves. Williams found herself a little out of position for a medium-sized wave that rolled through and let Hennessy go on it.
Hennessy proceeded to go to work on the wave, slashing into the face of it with two strong turns that saw her well rewarded by the judges. Hennessy scored a 6.50 on the wave – which was the highest score of the heat.
The 21-year-old Costa Rican added a 5.50 to post the second-highest two-wave total of the morning with a 12.00. Williams, who counted scores of 4.33 and 3.40, was left in search of 7.73 to move on, but the ocean didn't give her anything to work with in the final stages of the heat and Hennessy moved on.
New Zealand's Ella Williams competes during the women's surfing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. photo / AP
For Stairmand, drawing the toughest match-up in the round of 16, the conditions were always likely to work against him.
After the men's competition was delayed about an hour in order for the tide to come in a bit more, the surf became an aerialists paradise - with not a lot on offer in terms of turns and power surfing.
As shown in the heat prior to Stairmand's - Gabriel Medina (Brazil) beating Australia's Julian Wilson - gaining speed on the wave and looking for a lip to launch for one aerial move was being well scored.
Ferreira took an early lead in the heat by taking to the skies, but it was his power surfing that surprisingly earned him the best score of the heat.
After both made slow starts the back end of the heat saw plenty of action, but after Ferreira scored a 7.37 and 7.17 in quick succession, Stairmand was left chasing a big score for his survival.
Ultimately, his two-wave total of 9.67 wasn't enough to see him progress.
