Gerroa surfer Sally Fitzgibbons finished runner-up at the Gold Coast Pro final last Saturday, falling just short of her first Championship Tour title in four years.

The 34-year-old veteran went up against rising star Bettylou Sakura Johnson, 20, from Hawaii in a high-stakes final at Burleigh Heads.

Fitzgibbons gave it everything, surfing an impressive 13 waves in pursuit of the win. 

However, her two-wave score of 7.83 couldn’t match Sakura Johnson’s commanding 15.33.

“I wanted to get it together so bad in that final, but it was Betty’s day,” Fitzgibbons told 7 News.

“It’s been a fight and a grind the last few years, but I want to be here. My deep desire is to keep surfing.”

Sakura Johnson set the pace early with a strong 8.50 on her first wave, leaving Fitzgibbons playing catch-up for the remainder of the heat. Despite four aerial attempts, Fitzgibbons was unable to land the moves she needed.

The victory marked Sakura Johnson’s first Championship Tour win.

“This is the best feeling in the world,” she said. “I’m over the moon to have my first win here on the Gold Coast. This is what winning feels like, and I want to keep winning.”

Now in her 14th year on the Championship Tour, Fitzgibbons has recovered from a slow start this season, placing fifth and second in her last two events. 

The Gerroa local will be aiming to break her title drought at the upcoming Margaret River Pro in Western Australia on 17 May.