A Cut Above

ON TRACK: Matt McGillivray stormed into the semis and stays on the WSL tour. Photo WSL / Sloane

McGillivray was on the cusp of the cut, but needed to win his Round of 16 heat against Brazilian Samuel Pupo at the Margaret River Pro. The Rip Curl surfer, who calls Supertubes his home break, seemed at ease in the giant waves that Margaret River main break delivered. There were ten-foot sets and sometimes bigger ones rolling through the lineup.

The wild conditions of West Australia suited some surfers but were tricky for many. McGillivray stormed into the quarter-finals and defeated 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira from Brazil but came unstuck against an in-form John John Florence, who has been unstoppable in Australia. McGillivrary didn't lose by much, and his powerhouse surfing will be a confidence booster ahead of the second half of the World Surf League Championship Tour.

The fifth and final stop before the Mid-season Cut saw CT rookie Gabriela Bryan (HAW) and two-time WSL Champion John John Florence (HAW) earned runner-up finishes. Nichols’ win marked her maiden CT victory, enables her to continue through the back half of the 2022 CT. Robinson had already secured his place after the previous event. His victory is the first Margaret River CT win by a Western Australian since Dave Macaulay in 1989.

CHARGING HARD: McGillivray was beaten by John John, who took runners-up. Photo WSL / Sloane

McGillivray picked up some of the biggest waves on finals day and carved them with speed, power, and flow, just what the judges were looking for. It's a common theme that South Africans are comfortable in huge surf. Jordy's incredible under the lip hack on a monster was testimony to that.

"Matt has been surfing so well this event," said Florence. "I knew it was going to be a hard heat."

Coming into the Final Day of competition at the Margaret River Pro, Isabella Nichols (AUS) sat in 12th position on the rankings and below the Mid-season Cut line. To move above the cut and keep her spot on Tour, the equation was simple: Win the event. In her second year on the CT and having only one CT Finals appearance under her belt, taking a win at the elite level would be no easy feat, but the Sunshine Coaster dug deep to overcome local hero Bronte Macaulay (AUS) in the Semifinals and rookie Gabriela Bryan (HAW) in the Final.

The final saw a back and forth battle between Nichols and Bryan, but in the end it was the smooth frontside of Nichols that saw her claim her maiden CT victory, and save her spot on the elite level. Nichols will now head to the Quiksilver Pro G-Land sitting in the fourth position on the rankings.

DIK WAVE: Surf in the 10-12' ranged greeted competitors at Margaret River. Photo WSL / Hughes

Smith and McGillivray impressed in the big surf at Main Break this week. While Smith lost out to eventual winner Jack Robinson in the Quarterfinals, he moved up the rankings and cruised into back half of the season after the mid-season cut.

McGillivray took out some of the biggest names on his way to the Semifinals, including World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA). McGillivray requalified for the 2023 Championship Tour after defeating Samuel Pupo (BRA) in the Quarterfinals and will be excited to surf in front of his home crowd in Jeffreys Bay at the Corona J-Bay Open from 12-21 July 2022.

The next event of the year will be at Grajagan, the iconic left-hand reef break that breaks off the jungles of Java in Indonesia. For more information, go to https://www.worldsurfleague.com/

Those who did not make the cut will need to compete on the 2022 Challenger Series in order to qualify for the 2023 CT. The eight-stop Challenger Series kicks off at Snapper Rocks at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro presented by Rip Curl with promising swell on the way for the event window opening May 7, 2022.

OVER A BARREL: Ausies Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols show their spoils. Photo WSL / Dunbar

Men’s CT: Made the Cut
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
John John Florence (HAW)
Kelly Slater (USA)
Barron Mamiya (HAW)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Ethan Ewing (AUS)
Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Seth Moniz (HAW)
Callum Robson (AUS)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Jack Robinson (AUS)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Samuel Pupo (BRA)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Nat Young (USA)
Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Jake Marshall (USA)
Jackson Baker (AUS)
Jadson Andre (BRA)
Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)

Men’s CT: Missed the Cut
Morgan Cibilic (AUS)
Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Joao Chianca (BRA)
Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
Frederico Morais (PRT)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Lucca Mesinas (PER)
Deivid Silva (BRA)
Owen Wright (AUS)

Women’s Final Results
1 - Isabella Nichols (AUS) 12.94
2 - Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 10.00

Women's Semi-final Results
HHEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 15.73 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.43
HEAT 2: Isabella Nichols (AUS) 15.93 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 11.343

Men’s Final Results
1 - Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.24
2 - John John Florence (HAW) 15.60

Men’s Semi-final Results
HEAT 1: John John Florence (HAW) 18.90 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 11.94
HEAT 2: Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.27 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.53

Men’s Quarter-final Results
HEAT 1: John John Florence (HAW) 17.50 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 17.16
HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 15.87 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14.67
HEAT 3: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.70 DEF. Nat Young (USA) 12.40
HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS) 14.40 DEF. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.000

Men’s Round of 16 Results
HEAT 1: John John Florence (HAW) DEF. Kolohe Andino (USA)
HEAT 2: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 9.87 DEF. Callum Robson (AUS) 7.57
HEAT 3: Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 14.50 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 10.74
HEAT 4: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.83 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 8.83
HEAT 5: Nat Young (USA) 15.66 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.63
HEAT 6: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 16.43 DEF. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.03
HEAT 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.24 DEF. Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.26
HEAT 8: Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.06 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 15.93