ANDERSON DENIED BY JAPANESE LOCAL KUROKAWA

Merewether surfer Philippa Anderson has climbed to fifth on the World Qualifying Series rankings, following a controversial semi-final exit in Japan.

Anderson was in control for most of the heat – and even the commentators thought she’d done enough in the final seconds.

But the judges saw otherwise, handing local surfer Hinako Kurokawa the score she needed to advance to the decider.