Surfers wait on Margs waves while Slater makes big call
With surfers fighting to stay on the Championship Tour, the Margaret River Pro will remain on hold for a second day in the hope of better conditions arriving.
The men's field managed to complete their round of 16 on Wednesday, with local wildcard Jacob Willcox the sole Australian survivor following the shock exits of defending champion Jack Robinson and Queensland star Ethan Ewing.
The Margaret River gun, who earlier eliminated top-ranked Italo Ferreira, backed it up by getting barrelled at The Box, en route to a win over another Brazilian in Joao Chianca.
It's his first quarter-final appearance in seven starts in the West.
Competition was moved later Wednesday back to Main Break, but the rising onshore wind and increasing swell quickly changed conditions, leading to a decision to delay the women's round of 16.
The women haven't surfed since Tuesday, when Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons advanced through the elimination heats.
Next in wait lies is current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan with Fitzgibbons needing at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top- 10 mid-season cut.
Holding down her No.14 ranking will at least ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women's field expanding.
In a stacked Aussie field, Molly Picklum, Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, who are safe above the cut-line, and local wildcard Bronte Macaulay will also contest the round of 16 with the next call early Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, the WSL announced 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will return as a wildcard in the next tour stop at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California.
"I'm excited to surf Lowers after having a few months of downtime with family and watching the events online," Slater said in a statement.
"Trestles has been an ongoing great memory for the past 35 years since I won my first event as a professional there ... it's a second home to me.
"I'm looking forward to competing as a wildcard and surf against a top seed or two straight away."
The 53-year-old Slater competed as a wildcard in the first event of the 2025 season, the Pipe Pro in Hawaii.
Lower Trestles has been home to the WSL Finals since 2021, with Cloudbreak in Fiji given the honour of crowning the world champions this year.
It was also recently announced surfing venue for the LA 2028 Olympics.
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