Day two of the Margaret River Pro is in full swing down in Western Australia’s south-west, where competitors are facing some of the biggest waves in the event’s history. The competition was put on hold for two days due to a lack of swell, but now surfers are tackling surging waves over 3 metres that are challenging even the world champions and breaking boards left and right.
Margaret River local teenager Willow Hardy made a bold move by claiming one of the biggest waves of the day, jumping on it less than a minute into her elimination heat. Unfortunately, an untimely wipeout and a tight heat resulted in the 18-year-old falling short with a total score of 7.97. Despite the setback, she earned the respect of the global surfing community who watched on in awe. “I made the drop so I was starting to think about doing a turn and then I just went headfirst, crayfish diving,” she explained. “I don’t really know what happened, I want to see it back. It didn’t feel that big, but everyone said it was solid.”
Jacob Willcox, another Margaret River local, pulled off a surprise win against world number one Italo Ferreira, showcasing his skills just hours after surviving the elimination round. “It’s almost anyone’s game out there, you just need to be able to pick the good waves,” he said confidently. “Being a local definitely helps, knowing where those good waves are coming through.” On the other hand, Australian surfing icon Sally Fitzgibbons managed to secure a crucial second place in her heat with a score of 8.33, avoiding elimination from the tour. She described the experience as an emotional rollercoaster, where the highs and lows of the competition kept her on edge. “Your board snaps and there’s like three minutes to go and you hear other people getting waves and you’re like, ‘I think that’s it for me’,” she shared. “So it’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and then you come in and then they say you made it and you live to see another day.”
Just another day for local groms
While the professional surfers were being put to the test by the massive waves, it was business as usual for the groms of Margaret River. Fourteen-year-old Brody Mulik, who has already mastered the break, shared his experience of the challenging conditions. “I definitely was a little bit nervous when I was first paddling out but I kind of got used to it,” he admitted. “You can just like feel your heart pounding when you come off the wave. It’s really short but really intense.” According to Mulik, the main challenge lies in the take-off point, which he described as “really tight”. Competitors need to make the most of their priority position and be in the right spot, as being even slightly off can make a significant difference in their performance.