• Finals Day Set at Western Australia Margaret River Pro…Two Lay Days Called at Western Australia Margaret River Pro…looking at Wednesday Australia time…Tuesday about 2pm Hi Time…and the current roster cut
• Carissa Moore and John John Florence Earn Highest Scores of the Day
• Wildcard Bronte Macaulay Takes Down World No.1 Molly Picklum
• Stephanie Gilmore Confirmed Above Mid Season Cut
• Men’s Quarterfinalists Decided – Medina Into Finals Day For First Time in ‘23

The men’s Quarterfinalists and women’s Semifinalists were decided today, setting the stage for an epic Finals day. Today’s action confirmed the last spots in the women’s field. The top 22 men and 10 women who will continue the Championship Tour following the Mid-season Cut have now been locked in.

Carissa Moore (HAW) achieved the near impossible, scoring a 9.63 (out of possible 10) in the dying seconds of her Quarterfinal matchup with Lakey Peterson (USA). Peterson had Moore up against the ropes a majority of the heat and held priority going into the final minutes. But, the two-time World Champion snuck a wave under priority, navigating a rare barrel and hitting the end section to turn the heat. Despite the heat loss, Peterson has been confirmed to have made the Mid-season Cut.

“To be honest, when Lakey didn’t take it I thought it was for a reason,” said Moore. “But I thought this is my last shot, I may as well go for it. It’s one of the best feelings when you shock yourself. I feel really blessed. I feel like the Universe is on my side. She had me up against the wall the whole heat. It’s hard to lose like that and I don’t like to see anyone who’s my friend lose like that.”

John John Florence (HAW) continued gathering excellent scores at Main Break today, posting a near-perfect 9.43 with his variety of layback hacks. Florence last won this event in 2019, and he is now well on his way to adding another Margaret River win to his name. First, he will have to get past Ethan Ewing (AUS) in the Quarterfinals in what will be a battle of two of the best frontside rail surfers the Tour has ever seen.

“For me, it’s important to not have to think about anything but show up and go surfing,” Florence said. “I think it’ll be a good battle. Ethan (Ewing) has been surfing great. He’s got such a good forehand carve. When I surf these heats, I don’t think about who’s in the heat; I just go surf. Hopefully, I get an opportunity to do what I do.”

In one of the biggest upsets of the day, local surfer and event wildcard Bronte Macaulay (AUS) took out World No. 1 Molly Picklum (AUS). Macaulay’s local knowledge benefited her once again as she was able to identify the waves with opportunity. Picklum was left chasing a 5.22 as time ran out. By missing the Semifinals, Picklum will have to give up the yellow Leader jersey to Tyler Wright (AUS).

“It was a scrappy one, neither of us surfed the way we really wanted to surf, but you have to take those sometimes, and I’ll take the win for sure,” said Macaulay. “I was just trying to stay calm, 35 minutes is a long time, and you have lots of opportunities with the jet ski, so I was just focused on relaxing.”

Stephanie Gilmore Confirmed Above Mid Season Cut 

Reigning 8X World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) confirmed her place in the second half of the season after overcoming Gabriela Bryan (HAW) in the Round of 16. She then went on to face Tyler Wright (AUS) in the Quarterfinals but was unable to progress, with Wright taking the win and moving into the Semifinals, where she will take on Caroline Marks (USA)

“So stressful, that’s far out,” said Gilmore. “I just knew seeing Bettylou (Sakura Johnson) lose yesterday and Lakey (Peterson) coming through with that clutch last-second win; I thought she was on a tear and was going to take me out. To go from winning the Title to being back on the bubble again, maybe it’s a nice little theory. Just sneaking in 10th, just sneaking in 5th, finishing number 1 (laughs). Thanks for the support, everyone, there are some great events after the cut, stoked to make the cut.”

Another Aussie CT veteran who came into the Western Australia Margaret River Pro needing a big result to make the Mid-seaon Cut was Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Although she looked solid in the early rounds, Fitzgibbons was unable to better Mark’s excellent heat total of 16.50 (out of a possible 20) in the Quarterfinals. Fitzgibbons will finish the event in equal 5th, meaning she will fall below the Cut. With Fitzgibbons out, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) has been confirmed to claim the final spot in the second half of the season.

Gabriel Medina (BRA) will finally make his first Quarterfinals appearance of the year after overcoming Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) in the Round of 16. The three-time World Champion hopes this is the year he will make his Finals debut at Margaret River. But, he will have to overcome current World Champion Filipe Toledo (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.

“It looks nice out there, the day is nice, and the waves are beautiful, but there are some bumps out there,” Medina said. “Once you were used to it and focussed on it, the waves were great, and the day is perfect. I’m feeling really confident about this event. I have been focussing on heat strategy recently, and after a slow start to this year, I’m starting to feel like I’m back again, which is a really good feeling to have. I look forward to competing with Filipe (Toledo), may the best man win.”

Griffin Colapinto (USA) has advanced to the Quarterfinals after taking down dangerous competitor Liam O’Brien (AUS) in the Round of 16. O’Brien was full of confidence, coming off a landmark heat win over Kelly Slater (USA) yesterday. The two were neck-in-neck, but Colapinto was able to take the heat with an explosive end maneuver on a giant wall of water. He will now be up against Hawaii’s Barron Mamiya in Quarterfinal, Heat 3.

Heat 7 of the men’s Round of 16 was a battle of rail work versus air game as Ethan Ewing (AUS) and Italo Ferriera (BRA) went head-to-head. Always unpredictable, Ferriera took to the air on a lefthander, earning a 6.77. But, Ewing’s power turns on the open faces of Main Break resulted in an excellent 8.07 and the heat win.

Joao Chianca (BRA) and Connor O’Leary (AUS) also advanced out of their Round of 16 heats and will now face each other in the Quarterfinals.

For highlights from today’s Western Australia Margaret River Pro competition, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

The Mid-season Cut has now reduced the CT fields to the Top 22 men and Top 10 women. These top surfers will continue through the back-half of the CT in an effort to make the WSL Final 5 and compete in the Rip Curl WSL Finals. They have also all confirmed their places for the 2024 CT season.

Women’s CT: Made the Cut
Tyler Wright (AUS)
Molly Picklum (AUS)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Caitlin Simmers (USA)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Tatiana Weston Webb (BRA)
Lakey Peterson (USA)
Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)

View the full women’s 2023 CT rankings. 

Men’s CT: Made the Cut
Joao Chianca (AUS)
Jack Robinson (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Ethan Ewing (AUS)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Ryan Callinan (AUS)
John John Florence (HAW)
Yago Dora (BRA)
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Callum Robson (AUS)
Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Jordy Smith (RSA)
Matthew McGillivray (RSA)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Liam O’Brien (AUS)
Rio Waida (INA)
Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
Barron Mamiya (HAW)
Seth Moniz (HAW)
Ian Gentil (HAW)

View the full men’s 2023 CT rankings.