MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Wednesday, May 14, 2025) – The 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) will hold momentum as it travels all the way across Australia for Stop No. 7, the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, the last stop before the Mid-season Cut. The world’s best shift their focus to Main Break as they prepare for the end of the inaugural GWM Aussie Treble. There will be no shortage of storylines unfolding as the elite tackle some of the wildest waves on the schedule. The Western Australia Margaret River Pro will hold an event window May 17 through 27.
The beauty and power of the South West corner of Western Australia provide CT surfers with a challenge like no other location. Strong wind, huge long-period swells, open ocean reefs, and stand-up square barrels are a few of the faces of Margaret River that will be on show throughout the event window.
Margaret River to Decide Inaugural GWM Aussie Treble Winners
The opening day of the Margaret River window arrives just a week after one of the most memorable Finals in recent CT history at the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro. Former WA winner Filipe Toledo (BRA) has re-joined the winners circle, along with first-time CT winner Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW).
Reigning Western Australia Margaret River Pro winner Gabriela Bryan (HAW) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) both had earlier than expected exits on the Gold Coast, but managed to hold on to their No. 1 spots on the rankings and head west wearing the Yellow Leader’s Jerseys. Due to their performances in Australia, Bryan and Ferreira find themselves low on the GWM Aussie Treble rankings. They will need to look out for the in-form Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) and Isabella Nichols (AUS), who lead the Treble, followed by Toledo and Sakura Johnson, respectively.
Mid-season Cut Looms Large in West Aus
For the last few years, the West Australia Margaret River Pro has been a heavy event for some competitors. It is the location that decides who will continue their season on Tour, and who will return to the Challenger Series (CS) to fight for a spot back on the 2026 CT.
This season will see a different kind of pressure applied to the women. The field of competitors will increase in 2026 from 18 to 24 surfers, meaning that only one competitor will truly be relegated. Although Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) made it all the way to the Final on the Gold Coast, she didn’t move a single spot on the rankings and still holds that dreaded last place heading into Margaret River. However, with less than 3,200 points separating 15th from 9th on the leaderboard, there is a lot left to play out in Western Australia. Particularly with names like Brisa Hennessy (CRC) and Lakey Peterson (USA), two Main Break standouts, currently sitting below the cut line.
Similarly, on the men’s side, there are a number of names around the line who have shown form in the West in recent years, including George Pittar (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Matthew McGilivray (RSA), and Liam O’Brien (AUS). This makes for a sense of unease for any competitors sitting below No. 15 on the rankings.
West Aussie Favorite Bronte Macaulay Accepts Wildcard
Just a week after the surfing world witnessed former CT star Julian Wilson (AUS) surf as a Wildcard, all the way to within a point of winning a CT in his first appearance on the tour in over four years, Bronte Macaulay (AUS), Main Break standout, will return to competition less than a year after announcing her retirement from fulltime competition. The former World No. 11 has serious form at her home event, making the Semifinals 3 times out of her last four appearances. Macaulay’s past performances in front of her home crowd, coupled with her hard-charging and precise, technical backhand, will make her a serious threat to the high-seeds when competition commences at the West Australia Margaret River Pro. Macualy has come into the event to replace Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), who has taken the remainder of the season off.
Macaulay will take on reigning World Champion Caity Simmers (USA) and 2019 Western Australia Margaret River Pro winner Lakey Peterson (USA) in Heat 2 of the women’s Opening Round.
Injury Replacements Announced
While Macaulay will replace Weston-Webb, Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) will continue as the replacement for Johanne Defay (FRA), who also withdrew after Stop No. 3 to prepare to welcome her first child.
Ian Gentil (HAW) will once again take the place of three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA), who is continuing to recover from an ongoing injury.
Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) is continuing to recover from a knee injury he sustained at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Boukhiam will be replaced by an Australian Challenger Series competitor, Winter Vincent (AUS), who recently finished runner-up at the WSL World Junior Championship in the Philippines. It will be the first CT experience for 20-year-old Vincent, who is the fourth-highest-ranked Australian CS surfer available and not already in the event.
The WSL Event Wildcard for the Western Australia Margaret River Pro will be Mikey McDonagh (AUS), who is the second-highest-ranked Australian surfer from the CS not yet in competition. The winner of last season’s Gold Coast Pro Challenger Series event, McDonagh, previously competed in the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in 2018 as a 16-year-old wildcard.
After an epic day of competition at Main Break for the Think Mental Health WA Trials, former CT competitor Jacob Willcox (AUS) and fellow West Australian goofy-foot and regional Qualifying Series standout Willow Hardy (AUS) will take the last two spots in the draw. The pair overcame a field of 12 of WA’s best surfers to take spots in the main event.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Connor O’Leary (JPN) vs. Imaikalani de Vault (HAW)
HEAT 2: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
HEAT 3: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX) vs. Edgard Groggia (BRA)
HEAT 4: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA) vs. Mikey McDonagh (AUS)
HEAT 5: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Liam O’Brien (AUS) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS)
HEAT 6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. George Pittar (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS)
HEAT 7: lan Gentil (HAW) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Cole Houshmand (USA)
HEAT 8: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 9: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. lan Gouveia (BRA)
HEAT 10: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 11: Rio Waida (INA) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS) vs. Deivid Silva (BRA)
HEAT 12: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Jackson Bunch (HAW)
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) vs. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP)
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
HEAT 3: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA) vs. Willow Hardy (AUS)
HEAT 4: Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Luana Silva (BRA) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN) vs. Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
HEAT 6: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Bella Kenworthy (USA)
Watch LIVE
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro will hold a competition window from May 17 – 27, 2025. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, and the free WSL App. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro is Proudly Supported by Tourism WA, Red Bull, YETI, Surfline, True Surf, Bonsoy, GWM, Stone & Wood, Oakberry, Hydralyte, Bioglan Boost Mobile, Bond University, Fatboy Bikes, Rusty, Shire of Augusta Margaret River, Spudshed, WSL One Ocean
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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