Merewether surfer Philippa Anderson heads to Portugal on Tuesday with renewed confidence as she tries to make a last-ditch push for Championship Tour qualification.
Anderson ended a torrid run on the second-tier Challenger Series with a round of 16 effort at the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach last month.
After opening-round exits at the first three events, she won in round one and was then second to make the last 16, where she lost to a last-minute wave from Macy Callaghan.
The result lifted her 23 spots to 31st in the rankings but still with a mountain to climb to make the top five and qualify for a first CT spot. Each surfers' top four efforts count towards their final total and Anderson needs at least two huge results to be in the mix.
Regardless, the 30-year-old was pleased to end her run of outs and to be heading to the right-hand breaks of Ribeira D'Ilhas for the Ericeira Pro, which could start Saturday.
"The start of the year was just horrible for me," Anderson said.
"I always work hard but just the results weren't showing so I was pretty down after the third straight heat loss, so going to America I knew I needed a good result - a fifth or better - and I got ninth, so it wasn't a complete blow out.
"But also it wasn't a solid result, so heading into Portugal I have a result that I know I need to get to even have a shot of qualifying at the last two events, but there's just a huge boost in confidence from the US Open.
"Going to Portugal, a right-hand point break, that's just right up my alley, so hopefully get through a few heats. That's the goal."
Anderson said she will reassess this year's contest schedule after the Portugal event but she was keen to compete again in 2023.
"The body's feeling good and still get really fired up when I lose," she said.
"I want to get better at things that maybe I don't do so well, so I'll still compete because I love it."
Merewether surfers have had great success at the Portugal Pro. Jackson Baker was runner up there last year en route to making the 2022 CT and Ryan Callinan won the contest in 2018.
Callinan is fourth on the CS this year and in a great position to requalify for the CT.
