Gabriela Bryan, Jack Robinson triumph at WSL Margaret River Pro
Hawaii’s Gabriela Bryan and Australia’s Jack Robinson on Sunday claimed the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia, stop no.5 of the World Surf League Championship Tour.
It was a day packed with rivalry as Bryan and Robinson demonstrated their surfing abilities in the challenging waves at Margaret River’s Main Break.
Bryan, ranked 10th before the event, delivered a stellar performance to claim her first Championship Tour victory and advance to fifth place in the world rankings.
In the women’s final, she faced newcomer Sawyer Lindblad from the USA, showing resilience throughout the heat.
With less than five minutes left, Bryan caught a wave, executed a powerful manoeuvre, and sealed her win with an impressive score of 8.10.
Although Lindblad didn’t take home the win, she achieved her best result yet by finishing as runner-up and securing a spot above the mid-season cut line.
In the men’s category, Robinson, who won the 2022 Margaret River Pro, managed to reclaim the title despite dealing with a knee injury that kept him from defending his championship last year.
Robinson’s exceptional performance shone throughout the day, reaching its peak in a showdown against John John Florence of Hawaii.
He scored big with a 9.10 for three carves and an 8.17 for a straight air with three turns.
Florence, a two-time champion at Margaret River, exhibited his supreme skills throughout the event, highlighted by a 10-point ride in the semifinals.
However, he fell short of clinching his CT victory in Western Australia and settled for second place.
The Margaret River Pro had its share of surprises and shifts in the rankings.
Australian wildcard George Pittar caused an upset by defeating world no.1 Griffin Colapinto in the quarterfinals, while two-time WSL champion Tyler Wright knocked out world no.1 Caity Simmers.
In a twist of fate, Aussie veteran Sally Fitzgibbons narrowly missed making it past the mid-season cut after losing to Lindblad by just half a point.
Fitzgibbons is set to compete in the Challenger Series for the second year in a row.
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro wrapped up with Bryan, Lindblad, Seth Moniz, Connor O’Leary, and Yago Dora earning spots on the CT for the second part of the season.
The top WSL betting sites have not brought out markets yet for the upcoming Tahiti Pro, set to run from May 22–31.
WSL Margaret River Pro Final Day highlights
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Final results
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Final results
1 – Jack Robinson (AUS) 17.27
2 – John John Florence (HAW) 16.04
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Semifinal results
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Semifinal results
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Quarterfinal results
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Quarterfinal results
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s round of 16 results
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