MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Tuesday, April 16, 2024). The Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Stop No. 5 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), saw an emotional day of competition. The men’s Elimination Round and Round of 32 in four-to-five foot surf at Main Break in Margaret River, as well as Jordy Smith and Matt McGillivray make the cut.
Eight surfers were relegated from the 2024 CT and will go to the Challenger Series to try to earn their spot back on the elite Tour. Nine more surfers have secured their position for the back half of the 2024 season. Including Jordy Smith (RSA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA) and Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR).
11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) has alluded to slowing down his competitive career in recent weeks. Although he did not officially announce his retirement today, he shared his thoughts and future plans. This in an emotional post-heat interview after his loss to World No. 1 Griffin Colapinto (USA). This in the Round of 32 at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2024 WSL CT.
Matthew McGillivray Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
The Goat
Celebrated as the greatest surfer of all time, Slater has 56 event wins over his incredible 32-year career on the Championship Tour. With 11 World Titles, he holds the record for the most World Championships of any surfer. He is both the youngest and oldest World Champion in men’s history.
Although the surfing GOAT hinted that he doesn’t plan to hang up his jersey at the moment, he’s missed the Mid-season Cut. This means that he has not requalified for the remainder of the 2024 WSL CT nor the start of the 2025 WSL CT.
The 52-year-old shared that he plans to compete in events as they come. The WSL Commissioner’s Office will release updates to the event wildcards for the back half of the season as those event windows draw closer.
After being chaired up at Margaret River, Slater shared an emotional message following his loss:
“As far as emotions, it’s almost hitting me. It’s right there bubbling. I couldn’t quite pull a miracle off this week. I’ve pulled a few off over the years and I still had that hope out there. Even with a minute to go, I thought, ‘One might pop up.’ But to lose to the world number one. Griff is the number one guy and I’ve been close with him for a long time. It’s been fun to be over 50 and still mixing it up with the guys and still feeling like I’m there with them. Seeing this new crop of guys and to finish with Griffin, as a full-time competitor that’s cool.
Wildcard for Fiji
“I’ve had a fight with this wave my whole career. It’s not necessarily the wave I want to end on. I have put in for a wildcard for Fiji so I’ll see how that goes. But I do feel like, if I get a wildcard into Fiji, I could end up against Griffin again so I’ll get to pay him back.
“But yeah, it is what it is, everything comes to an end and if you don’t adapt you don’t survive. My motivation just hasn’t been there to really put in that one-hundred percent that everyone else is now.
“I’ve got a couple weeks here, Renato asked me if I want to surf on the Goldy [Challenger Series Event]. If Snapper looks good, we’ll see. Just for some fun.”
Griffin Colapinto
Colapinto is one of the next generation’s promising hopes to be the World Champion. His current World No. 1 standing has put the surfing world on notice. His win over Slater signals a changing of the guard and continues to solidify his presence as one of the world’s best surfers. Colapinto will continue his charge through this event and the season to the WSL Finals. Also representing the United States in the upcoming Olympic Games at Teahupo’o, Tahiti.
“It’s pretty mind-blowing – when I saw him getting chaired up the stairs I was like whoa, is that for real? That’s a sign in surfing that someone is retiring. The fact that he did that after a heat with me, I was pretty blown away. I just trying to take it all in,” Colapinto said. “It’s crazy, he’s given me and everyone on this tour so much. We owe him so much, we make a living because of how far he has taken surfing. It’s pretty incredible. I used to watch his video parts and imagine myself being like him.”
Mid-Season Cut Relegates Eight Surfers from the 2024 CT Season
Alongside Slater, eight surfers were unable to progress through the Round of 32 and were eliminated from the competition, falling below the Mid-season Cut line. Ian Gentil (HAW), Eli Hanneman (HAW), Frederico Morais (POR), Kate Matson (USA), Callum Robson (AUS), Deivid Silva (BRA), and Jacob Willcox (AUS).
Margaret River local and 2024 CT Rookie Willcox was unable to back up his 8.50 and went down to good friend Liam O’Brien (AUS). Another CT Rookie who lost in the Round of 32 and was relegated to the Challenger Series was Hanneman. He narrowly lost his heat against Jake Marshall (USA). San Clemente’s Matson was the last rookie of the day to experience the heartbreak of missing the Cut. After his loss to Italo Ferreira (BRA). Matson, with this equal 17th-place finish, was unable to move above the Cut line. He will return to the Challenger Series for the remainder of 2024.
Silva put everything he could into his matchup with Florence, posting his best heat total of the 2024 season. Unfortunately for Silva, it wasn’t enough to overcome Florence. He posted the highest two-wave total of the event so far. Silva will be sent to the Challenger Series to once again battle to regain his spot at the elite level.
Morais fell victim to the Mid-season Cut for the second consecutive season after he lost his Round of 32 matchup with Jordy Smith (RSA). Robson suffered the same result with his loss to hometown favorite Jack Robinson(AUS) in the last heat of the day.
See also: 2024 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal – Griffin Colapinto and Johanne Defay Take The Wins
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