Opening Day of Western Australia Margaret River Pro Called ON

MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Thursday, April 11, 2024) - The Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Stop No. 5 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), is ON for opening day, starting at 7:30 a.m. AWST today. The competition will be hosted in clean two-to-four-foot surf at Main Break for the women’s Opening Round up first today, followed by the men's Opening Round, all with 35-minute heats. 

urrent World No. 3 Molly Picklum (AUS) will be up first this morning at Main Break against Luana Silva (BRA) and Alyssa Spencer (USA). Picklum has had solid results at Margaret River with two 5th place finishes and will look to kick off her campaign after her Round of 16 loss at Bells earlier this month. 

Johanne Defay (FRA), current World No. 2, will see Lakey Peterson (USA) and Sophie McCulloch (AUS) in the following heat. Defay’s strong season start has put her in a prime position for her 2024 CT campaign. With the opportunity to drop her lowest score this season, Defay noted that she’s eager to push her progression and take more risks throughout this event. 

Hometown hero Bronte Macaulay (AUS) will be one to watch this event. Macaulay’s last three CT finishes were all 3rd place results, and the West Australian is back in familiar territory at Margaret River’s Main Break today. She will face World No. 1 Caitlin Simmers (USA) and 2024 CT rookie Sawyer Lindblad (USA) in Heat 3. 

Jack Robinson (AUS), the 2022 event winner, will face 2023 event winner Gabriel Medina (BRA) in Heat 2 of the men’s Opening Round. The two have yet to match up against each other in Margaret River and there’s sure to be fireworks in their preliminary heat. They will face Deivid Silva (BRA), who is currently far below the Cut and will need to make big moves to climb back into contention for the move into the second half of the season. 

11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) has given hints throughout the Australian leg that he needs to find success here in Margaret River before the Cut to continue his professional pursuits full-time. He will face Jake Marshall (USA) and Ramzi Boukhiam (MOR) in Heat 3. 

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Opening Round Matchups:

Heat 1: Molly Picklum (AUS), Luana Silva (BRA),  Alyssa Spencer (USA)

Heat 2: Johanne Defay (FRA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sophie McCulloch (AUS)

Heat 3: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Sawyer Lindblad (USA), Bronte Macaulay (AUS)

Heat 4: Caroline Marks (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), India Robinson (AUS)

Heat 5: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Tyler Wright (AUS), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

Heat 6: Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Isabella Nichols (AUS)

Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Opening Round Matchups:

Heat 1: Barron Mamaiya (HAW), Imaikalani DeVault (HAW), Eli Haneman (HAW)

Heat 2: Jack Robinson (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Deivid Silva (BRA)

Heat 3: Jake Marshall (USA), Ramzi Boukhiam (MOR), Kelly Slater (USA)

Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW), Ian Gentil (HAW), George Pittar (AUS)

Heat 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Kade Matson (USA), Reef Heazlewood (AUS)

Heat 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Seth Moniz (HAW), Otis North (AUS)

Heat 7: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Italo Ferreira (BRA), Callum Robson (AUS)

Heat 8: Cole Houshmand (USA), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Caio Ibelli (BRA)

Heat 9: Crosby Colapinto (USA), Yago Dora (BRA), Frederico Morais (POR)

Heat 10: Jordy Smith (RSA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Jacob Willcox (AUS)

Heat 11: Rio Waida (IDN), Connor O’Leary (JPN), Samuel Pupo (BRA)

Heat 12: Liam O’Brien (AUS), Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Miguel Pupo (BRA)