Amid a trophy cabinet decorated with silverware from around the world, a Margaret River Pro title remains an alluring puzzle for Kelly Slater.
The 50-year-old is circling the world on surfing's professional tour once again, possibly in a bid to secure a 12th world title or, as evidenced by a comprehensive win in Hawaii earlier this year, most likely because he still can.
Slater was among many to compete among enormous waves on Friday, delegated to an elimination round after placing third in his opening heat.
"It was big and exciting, but there weren't a lot of great rides to be had," Slater said.
Milder conditions greeted competitors on Saturday, and the 11-time world champion avoided elimination but confessed Margaret River's main break remained an "alluring puzzle".
"I've had to really loosen up my brain over the past couple of days as I feel like I'm in a mental rut with this wave," Slater said after his heat.
The event is the fifth on the World Surf League's 2022 tour and serves as a midyear cut-off point for competitors flailing at the tail end of rankings.
Tour veterans Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore both require a semifinal finish or better at the Margaret River Pro to avoid being cut from the tour.
Local wildcards Mia McCarthy, Jacob Willcox and Ben Spence were all eliminated from the event.
