MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Saturday, May 17, 2025) – The Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Stop No. 7 on the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), kicked off with exciting performances in the men’s and women’s Opening Rounds in four-to-six-foot surf at Main Break. Opening day saw some early battles, excellent scores, and nail-biting finishes to set up for the competition’s first eliminations in the next round. The next call will be tomorrow, Sunday, May 18, at 7:15 a.m. AWST for a possible 7:35 a.m. start.
Defending Event Winners Bryan and Robinson Highlight Opening Round Performances
The first excellent score of the event for the women went to defending event winner Gabriela Bryan (HAW), whose relationship with Western Australia has only grown stronger over the years. Bryan tore through one of the most powerful turns of the day, extending the push directly under an imposing lip. An incomplete finish to the wave likely held the score back, but the 8.00 (out of a possible 10) earned, along with a 7.00, made for the highest heat total of the round, 15.00 (out of a possible 20). A runner-up finish in 2022 was followed by Bryan’s first-ever CT win in 2024, both necessary results to keep her on Tour. In 2025, the 23-year-old has returned as World No.1, today claiming her first heat win while wearing the Yellow Leader Jersey.
“It feels so good, I love it here,” Bryan said. “The minute I got here, it was like a breath of fresh air and it honestly feels so much like home. So yeah, I’m so glad to be back. On the Gold Coast, it was obviously kind of like a spotlight for me and I was trying to embrace it and stuff, but I like to go under the radar. But it’s kind of hard to do that, so I’m learning how to deal with it. It’s just a color on a jersey, so it’s nice, but yeah, I’m learning as I go.”
Bryan faced stiff competition from Vahine Fierro (FRA), who posted an 8.50 of her own to advance to the Round of 16 in second place, just 0.17 behind the Bryan. Wildcard Willow Hardy (AUS) was sent to the Elimination Round.
Jack Robinson (AUS) experienced a welcome homecoming, tapping straight back into the form that has seen him win the event in his last two appearances (2022 and 2024). The 27-year-old Margaret River local easily picked up two decent scores to take the heat lead over Marco Mignot (FRA) and Ian Gentil (HAW), before building to an 8.93. Robinson speedily drove through a tight arc, delivering a perfect plume of spray to earn the highest single-wave score of the day.
“I knew that wave was out there, it was just about getting on it,” Robinson said. “It’s good to start like that, and yeah, it kind of came down to the end a little bit to get that one. But we’re back home and feeling a lot of support, and love and support from the crowd, so it’s awesome. I see so many kids and everyone just around and supporting, and yeah, just soaking all the energy up, so it’s good. I think it just gives you a good feeling to be back. You go out there and you focus, but it’s also just a good feeling to have all the support. I’m just happy to be back home. It’s pretty simple, go and surf and have a good time.”
Robinson was one of only five of the top men’s seeds to earn a heat win today. Current World No. 1 Italo Ferreira (BRA) also took an early win, along with GWM Aussie Treble leader Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Jake Marshall (USA), and Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA). Fioravanti managed to defeat both Griffin Colapinto (USA) and Crosby Colapinto (USA), in only the second time the brothers have appeared in a CT heat together. It was the surfer most in danger of the Cut, Crosby, who was sent to the Elimination Round.
Hometown Hero Macaulay Overcomes Reigning World Champion Simmers in Opening Round
The critical backhand of Bronte Macaulay (AUS) has taken the 31-year-old to much success around the world, including to victory on the Challenger Series, but her greatest consistency has been found at home in Margaret River. Macaulay’s tight hits in the pocket on the right at Main Break saw her take a big heat win over reigning World Champion Caity Simmers (USA) and 2019 Margaret River Pro winner Lakey Peterson (USA). Since announcing her retirement from full-time competition at the end of last season, Macaulay has been coaching up-and-coming surfers from the region, along with studying to be a teacher. Though the former CT veteran is always self-effacing, she is still hungry to push through to her first CT Final, especially after making the Semifinals in three out of the past four events.
“I guess I got lucky it was a two-wave set,” Macaulay said. “A lot of my waves were quite section-y and I felt like I couldn’t quite get my first turn in where I wanted to. So yeah, I just got lucky I got a smooth one at the end and that was just enough to get me through. It was obviously a big surprise [to receive the Wildcard]. I’m at Uni and coaching a lot of the girls that are here today actually. And yeah, they called me up saying you’ve got a spot. So I was like, okay, I got to get off the couch, start surfing Main Break, get some new boards. It was a really pleasant surprise and it’s just a really nice way to end my career back here at home in Margs.”
Lindblad, Hennessy, and Kenworthy Earn Crucial Advancement Amongst Mixed Results for Women on the Cut Line
A crucial heat for 2017 Margaret River Pro winner Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) went right down to the wire. Luana Silva (BRA) surfed a solid heat to take a decent lead, while Fitzgibbons struggled to find a back-up to one of the highest scores of the heat, a range Isabella Nichols (AUS) was still trying to break into, despite sitting in second on the scoreboard. Within the final minute, both Fitzgibbons and Nichols caught waves. A single turn from Fitzgibbons provided the score she needed to jump into second, but Nichols’ wave arrived as her highest of the heat, reclaiming the advancing position and sending Fitzgibbons into the Elimination Round.
The longest-standing member of the women’s Tour, Fitzgibbons has been relegated to the Challenger Series every year that the Mid-season Cut has existed, and this season she is sitting the lowest on the rankings of those able to qualify for the 2026 CT. The 34-year-old faced the same Elimination Round scenario in 2024 and bounced back to place in the Quarterfinals, a result she’ll at least need to match to be able to secure her place for 2026.
Sitting in a similar position to Fitzgibbons, Brisa Hennessy (CRC) was able to turn her heat around in the final moments and head straight into the Round of 16. Hennessy’s advancement knocked Erin Brooks (CAN) into the Elimination Round however, leaving the 2025 CT Rookie in a precarious position. With eight women battling for three positions to avoid the Mid-season Cut, every heat is of utmost importance. Though Brooks is currently placed highest of the eight, that placement can change fast.
Hennessy progressed behind two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS), the only top seed outside of Gabriela Bryan (HAW) to earn a heat win today. In 2024, Wright pushed her performances to make the Semifinals and avoid the Mid-season Cut. This year, the 2016 event winner and four-time runner-up sits comfortably within the top-5; the only veteran to do so amongst the newer generation.
In the following heat, fellow Rookie Bella Kenworthy (USA) was able to find the last-minute score that Brooks was unable to attain, pushing Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro winner Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) into the Elimination Round. Entering the event placed No. 13, Kenworthy is also in need of a big result in Margaret River.
2024 Margaret River Pro runner-up Sawyer Lindblad (USA) enters the event this year in a similar position to last year on the rankings. As with last season, the 19-year-old was able to rely on the exceptional timing of her backhand hits under the lip to take out the first women’s heat of the day over World No. 3 Molly Picklum (AUS) and injury replacement Nadia Erostarbe (ESP). Though entering the event at No. 10, with a narrow points advantage over the five women below her in the rankings able to take her place, Lindblad has already dipped below the Cut-line, despite today’s heat win.
“I just wanted to get waves that would allow me to do two turns,” Lindblad said. “It was kind of hard on the backhand, you had to be really quick, and some of the waves were closing out. So yeah, I’m happy I got it done at the end. I have lots of really happy memories from here and I feel like this wave really suits my surfing. I love big rights, so yeah, I’m excited for my next heat.”
Impending Mid-Season Cut Draws Excellence From Men on the Line
Of the 10 excellent scores earned in the men’s Opening Round, seven of them came from six surfers amongst the closest to the Cut-line: Cole Houshmand (USA), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Joao Chianca (BRA), Connor O’Leary (JPN), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), and Liam O’Brien (AUS).
Houshmand and Pupo came into the event on opposite ends of the Cut conversation, at No. 17 and No. 29, respectively. Houshmand’s powerful backhand blasts and Pupo’s searing forehand rail game were the perfect contrast, with both surfers pushing each other in the highest-scoring affair of the round. Though the Brazilian regular-footer was the only surfer of the day to collect two scores in the excellent range, the American goofy-footer took the heat win, his 16.43 total edging out Pupo’s 16.23. Both surfers progressed to the Round of 32 however, sending World No. 8 Barron Mamiya (HAW) into the Elimination Round.
“It feels like we’re back in Hawaii or something,” Houshmand said. “It’s been firing the last few days, just stoked to be able to ride a little bit bigger board and just lay into it. So it’s fun. Obviously, the vision is past the cut, you know, I want to do better than that. And so I think the main focus is just stay in the moment and heat-by-heat and kind of just enjoy it all. Last year, I won Bells, so it kind of just skyrocketed me up. I didn’t even have to think about it. But, you know, it’s always in the back of your mind. You kind of just have to accept it when you’re in our position and accept that it’s reality. And then just also fall back on the work you put in and all the dedication and know that what’s meant to be is meant to be. So just keep working hard and surfing good and hopefully win some heats.”
A dramatic layback end section hit delivered an 8.83 to Joao Chianca (BRA). Backed up with a 7.17, the lowest-ranked surfer above the Cut-line pre-event, at No. 22, delivered an excellent 16.00 heat total. Chianca surfed a fiery heat, both on the waves and in the lineup, forcing Wildcard Mikey McDonagh (AUS) into an intense paddle battle for priority that was amusingly faux-adjudicated by Jordy Smith (RSA). Smith progressed behind Chianca, leaving McDonagh to take on the Elimination Round.
“It’s a good day in the West,” Chianca said. “Happy to be back and everything feels alright, but I really don’t have much to say because the job is not over yet. So yeah, just stoked. It’s always fun times when we bring the best out of the other surfers and Mikey [McDonagh] had that fire going as a wildcard, so yeah, props to him.”
Despite two-time World Champion and 2021 Margaret River Pro winner Filipe Toledo (BRA) dropping the first excellent score of the event in the opening heat of the day, it was Connor O’Leary (JPN) who took the win. O’Leary drew exceptionally clean lines to showcase his critical backhand surfing, earning an 8.50 and a 7.30, for an exciting start to the day. Entering the event at No. 19 on the rankings, the brand-new father will likely need every heat win he can get to remain on Tour when he leaves Western Australia.
“It’s been a while since I feel like I’ve had a heat where there’s been a lot of waves and I’ve been able to kind of ride a couple and perform,” O’Leary said. “This year, I feel like I’ve been surfing the best I ever have, personally, and I think, you know, Darren [Handley], kudos to Darren, he’s been making me unbelievable boards. I think I’ve just been having a few unlucky heats. Conditions have been tricky and I’ve been making a few little mistakes that end up being huge mistakes at the end of the heat, when it’s finished. So to be able to kind of make a mistake out there at the start and then be able to tell myself there’s going to be a lot of opportunity to get my way back in was really satisfying. And yeah, it was cool to get a few and just get a few steep sections to kind of just rip in a bit.”
Another surfer sitting dangerously close to the Cut-line, Matthew McGillivray (RSA) claimed his first Opening Round heat win since Stop No. 1, the Lexus Pipe Pro. A two-time event Semifinalist, McGillivray has relied on big performances at Margaret River to avoid dropping off the Tour. This morning was no different as he closed his heat with an excellent 8.00 to take the win over Ethan Ewing (AUS) and Ryan Callinan (AUS) in a highly competitive match-up that saw the lead change multiple times throughout.
“The waves are cooking today, so everyone’s really excited,” McGillivray said. “I was really nervous about coming up against Ethan [Ewing] and Ryan [Callinan]. It came down to the last wave for me, so the pressure was on, and I was definitely feeling it. But I was just happy to not fall on that last turn, and yeah, I was stoked to make it through. It’s a great confidence boost. After Burleigh Heads I was a little bit bummed, and yeah, hopefully this is a better event for me. I’m excited.”
Liam O’Brien (AUS) knows the importance of performing at Margaret River more than most, having saved his place on Tour for two years running with big heat wins. In 2023, O’Brien defeated both Toledo and Kelly Slater (USA) to maintain his status. Today, O’Brien got the best of current World No. 2 Yago Dora (BRA) and wildcard replacement Winter Vincent (AUS) to move into the Round of 32, where he will be in a must-win situation to jump above the line that he is now sitting one place below.
“These heats are all pretty important, as everyone knows, so any one I can get is a good one,” O’Brien said. “But yeah, it’s always nerve-wracking, first heat of the comp. You don’t want to stumble early, but I was stoked to get that one out of the way. The West is somewhere I’ve always loved. I’ve got a lot of good friends over here, and it’s one of my favorite stops on Tour for sure, so stoked to be back.”
The four men in the event sitting lowest on the rankings, Imaikalani deVault (HAW), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Edgard Groggia (BRA), and Ian Gentil (HAW), all find themselves in the Elimination Round despite needing a huge result in Margaret River to keep their CT hopes alive. With strong Wildcards and top-seeded surfers also in the round, the competition will be intense when the event resumes.
For more information and highlights from today’s competition at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Opening Round Results:
HEAT 1: Connor O’Leary (JPN) 15.80 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.10, Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 14.43
HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 14.33 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 13.77, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 13.10
HEAT 3: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 14.26 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 14.17, Edgard Groggia (BRA) 9.80
HEAT 4: Joao Chianca (BRA) 16.00 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 12.87, Mikey McDonagh (AUS) 11.47
HEAT 5: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 15.33 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 12.73, Winter Vincent (AUS) 9.40
HEAT 6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14.10 DEF. George Pittar (AUS) 10.33, Jacob Willcox (AUS) 5.00
HEAT 7: Jack Robinson (AUS) 15.56 DEF. Marco Mignot (FRA) 12.36, Ian Gentil (HAW) 11.33
HEAT 8: Cole Houshmand (USA) 16.43 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 16.23, Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.26
HEAT 9: Ian Gouveia (BRA) 13.23 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.13, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.44
HEAT 10: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 13.07 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.80, Crosby Colapinto (USA) 9.63
HEAT 11: Joel Vaughan (AUS) 9.16 DEF. Rio Waida (INA) 8.33, Deivid Silva (BRA) 7.33
HEAT 12: Jake Marshall (USA) 14.90 DEF. Jackson Bunch (HAW) 13.53, Seth Moniz (HAW) 10.34
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Opening Round Results:
HEAT 1: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 11.00 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 10.20, Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) 7.90
HEAT 2: Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 13.13 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 12.33, Lakey Peterson (USA) 9.03
HEAT 3: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 15.00 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 14.83, Willow Hardy (AUS) 8.66
HEAT 4: Luana Silva (BRA) 13.77 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 8.90, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 8.67
HEAT 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.37 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 10.54, Erin Brooks (CAN) 8.00
HEAT 6: Caroline Marks (USA) 12.50 DEF. Bella Kenworthy (USA) 9.60, Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 8.34
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Elimination Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS)
HEAT 2: Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS)
HEAT 3: Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW) vs. Mikey McDonagh (AUS)
HEAT 4: Deivid Silva (BRA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Edgard Groggia (BRA)
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Elimination Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Willow Hardy (AUS)
HEAT 2: Erin Brooks (CAN) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP)
Watch LIVE
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro will hold a competition window through May 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, and Spudshed.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com
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