Australian stalwart Sally Fitzgibbons has missed the World Surf League’s mid-season cut for a second straight year after bowing out to white-hot American Caroline Marks in the quarter-finals of the Margaret River Pro.
The 32-year Fitzgibbons would have guaranteed herself a spot in the top 10 had she advanced to the semi-finals at Margaret River. The former world No 1 made a great start on Sunday, edging out young American Caitlin Simmers in the round of 16. But Marks proved a bridge too far in the quarters, with the 21-year-old goofy-footer claiming a dominant 16.50 to 9.96 victory.
The news was better for eight-time world champ Stephanie Gilmore, who locked in her top-10 slot by downing Hawaii’s Gabriela Bryan in the round of 16.
“Far out, it’s so stressful,” said Gilmore, “o go from winning the title last year to being back on the bubble again. Maybe it’s a nice little theory - sneak into 10th place, just sneak into fifth and finish No 1. I’m stoked to make the cut and there’s some great events after the cut.”
Later in the day, Gilmore lost her all-Australian quarter-final to Tyler Wright 14.36-9.84, but her chances of a record-extending ninth world title remain alive. Wright will be looking for successive victories after her Bells Beach title and will take on American Caroline Marks in the final four while Bronte Macaulay, who grew up in Gracetown right near Margaret River, will face Hawaiian Carissa Moore.
The top 22 men’s field was decided after their third round was completed on Saturday.
A round-of-16 berth was enough for Liam O’Brien, knocking out Kelly Slater on Saturday to cement his status. But that was as far as he got, beaten by Griffin Colapinto in a high-scoring heat, 15.1 to 14.06 on Sunday.
Tokyo Olympic champion Italo Ferreira again took to the air in his bid to take down Australia’s Bells Beach champion Ethan Ewing. But that wasn’t enough, his acrobatics trumped by the Stradbroke Island talent’s classic style, 15.3 to 13.3. Ewing faces two-time world champion John John Florence in the quarter-finals.
Sydney’s Connor O’Leary will join Ewing in the last eight, topping Yago Dora to set up a quarter-final against rankings leader Joao Chianca after the Brazilian pipped Callum Robson.
Meanwhile, eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater could afford a smile despite becoming the most high-profile victim of the World Surf League’s mid-season cut.
After all, the Florida great owns the Surf Ranch that will host the next leg of the Championship Tour he’s no longer guaranteed a spot on.
Slater’s dramatic third-round loss to Australian Liam O’Brien at the Margaret River Pro on Saturday ended hopes of a surge from 26th into the top 22 who continue beyond the tour’s fifth stop.
But it might not be the end of Slater on the WSL main tour.
If he is handed regular wildcards he could still amass enough points to surge into the top five and vie for another world title at the end-of-season finals. And he owns Surf Ranch, the Californian wave park that will host the next event.
Slater has battled injuries since a momentous win at Pipeline last year just days before his 50th birthday. He can also win back his spot on the main tour for next year by either finishing in the top 10 of the second-tier Challenger Series, or receiving a main tour wildcard.
“Plans for my future? I want to get really barrelled somewhere,” he said of his next move. “I don’t know; I’ll figure it out. Let’s see how things turn out.”
Organisers of the Margaret River Pro have called a lay day for Monday and Tuesday. With strong onshore winds forecast for the next two days, the next call on resuming competition will be made at 0715 local time (0915 AEST) on Wednesday.
