Surfing
Surfing
Margaret River is the make-or-break event you won't want to miss
Big waves and bigger implications have been on the Margaret River Pro's forecast since the introduction of the Championship Tour's controversial mid-year cut. Like it or not, you can't deny the drama.
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Margaret River might not have the prestige of Bells nor the glamour of the Gold Coast, but the quiet achiever of the 2025 Championship Tour is happy to let its powerful waves do the heavy lifting.
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Finals
A wild week of surfing builds to a crescendo at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro.
Since 1985 the event has powered on, slotting itself into various tiers of the WSL's structure: first as the Thriller, then the Masters and now the Pro. In 2014, the contest was finally reinstated to the Championship Tour and it has been a dependable source of consistent swell and myriad broken boards ever since. As the Pro readies to turn 40, we unpack the mystique around one of the most popular stops on tour. Big waves broadsiding a beautiful landscape that's teeming with wineries and fine dining? What's not to love!
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The Margaret River Pro – where power meets prestige
32 min
No Contest goes big in Western Australia
Hot on the heels of a crazy run through the beach breaks of Australia's East Coast, our team heads to Western Australia to test the power of the Indian Ocean at Margaret River and Rottnest Island.
The Margaret River Pro holds a revered place in surfing. Western Australia's wild coastline draws surfers from around the world to compete for the famous wine barrel trophy in some of the heaviest waves on tour, a marquee event that any surfer would love to win.
Though its CT status has fluctuated over the years, Margaret River has been a fixture on surfing's main stage since 2014, serving up no shortage of highlight reel moments whenever conditions go rogue and testing the mettle of even the hardiest of hellmen. The Margaret River Pro list of past champions is marked by world champions, super stars and future stars, though not too many goofy footers.
Jack Robinson and the hometown hero's winning welcome you'd expect
© Aaron Hughes/World Surf League
Jordy Smith fights power with power
© Be Ryder/World Surf League
With almost 40 years of competitive history to its name the event commands respect – not just as a proving ground for performance, but as a battle against the rugged and raw elements of nature.
02
Beyond the waterline: why surfers love Margaret River
Surfers love coming to Margaret River as much for the place itself as the incredible waves. From the stunning beaches to the rolling landscapes, tall tree forests, world class wineries and abundance of local art and artisans, there's something for everyone in Australia’s south-west.
3 min
No Contest – Australia, Episode 2
The west coast turns on for the best surfers in the world.
'Margs' draws a crowd far beyond the usual competition. Whether it's the laidback wine country atmosphere, the endless supply of waves, or the natural beauty of the Cape To Cape region, Margaret River is a stop that surfers and their squads genuinely love. The region is one of the most scenic surf destinations on Earth: you can surf all morning, sip world class Cabernet Sauvignon at lunch and hike through karri forests by afternoon. That's living.
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Australian waters, Hawaiian juice
The waves in Western Australia are often compared to those of Hawaii for their size and power. Look at the honour roll and its no coincidence that Hawaiians like Carissa Moore, John John Florence and Dusty Payne leap off the page as past event winners.
3 min
Sessions – Cyclone Marcus lights up Western Australia
Filmer Scotty Hammonds captures the spectacular results of a rare West Australian cyclone swell. Featuring Jay Davies, Jack Robinson and Dino Adrian.
Main Break and The Box offer two of the heaviest and most challenging waves on tour. Mainbreak is known for its sheer wave size and deep water power, while on the other side of the bay, The Box is a heaving right slab that produces thick, below-sea-level barrels that reward the brave. This ain't beach break surfing, that's for sure.
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WA's oversized role in the surfing landscape
For a remote part of the planet with a relatively small population, Western Australia has been a massive overachiever in the surfing world. With a wide variety of waves, mellow crowds, stunning natural backdrops, a crystal clear Indian Ocean and incredible morning and late afternoon light, WA has been the location of choice for photographers and cinematographers since the 1990s, and has starred in movies and magazines ever since.
Russell Ord shoots Mark Mathews and Taj Burrow
© Russell Ord
As for Western Australian surfers themselves, take a bow Jack Robinson, Taj Burrow, Jake and Paul Paterson, Jacob Willcox, Melanie Redman-Carr, Claire Bevilacqua, Ian Cairns and many more. Free surfers like Kael Walsh and Jay Davies aren't too shabby either.
WA has long been a muse for surf filmmakers, photographers and adventurers. From the underground slabs of the south coast to the raw points and reefs of the north-western desert, this vast state has starred in countless surf videos over the years, as a place where the Australian bush meets serious surfing folklore. Everyone from Jack McCoy to Jack Robinson have put their names on the map in the Big State.
Jack's trademark is to fly out of a big tube into a bigger air. Genius.
© Kim Feast
There aren't many surfers more comfortable in the tube than Jack Robinson
© Kim Feast
Jack Robinson kicking his fins over a hometown coping
© Kim Feast
Jack Robinson standing tall in the midst of a Margaret River waterfall
© Kim Feast
The kid's got game
© Kim Feast
Jack outshone the world's best at The Box in May and hasn't stopped since
© Kim Feast
Jack Robinson spinning free as the sun slips away
© Kim Feast
05
The mid-year cut: high stakes, big waves and real drama
The Margaret River Pro is the home of the Championship Tour's mid-year cut. This adds even more drama to an already action packed event, as surfers on the bubble fight to keep their season alive. Make it past halfway and your future on the Championship Tour lives on, miss the mark and it's off to battle it out in the Challenger Series, and try to earn your spot on the following year's CT once more.
Jerome Forrest stars as Jacob Willcox watches on
© Chris Gurney
Jacob Willcox happy as a pig in a pen
© Chris Gurney
Jerome Forrest laying down lines, West Oz-style
© Chris Gurney
Jacob Willcox's rock solid foundation
© Chris Gurney
Perhaps no event on the calendar carries more emotional weight than Margaret River due to the WSL's mid-year cut. For surfers on the bubble, this stop can be make-or-break for their entire CT season. One heat can define a career – or derail it. That added pressure elevates the drama, especially when it's playing out in powerful and unforgiving surf. For fans, it makes for some of the most gripping viewing of the year, pure drama amplified by vicious, violent waves and which sets the table nicely for the run home to the WSL Finals.
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