.png){kind=logo}
When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference.
These cookies are essential to enable user movement across our website and for providing access to features such as your profile. These cookies cannot be disabled. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information and cannot be used for marketing purposes.
These cookies allow us to analyze visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site and enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers, such as Google Analytics, whose services we have added to our pages. Information collected through these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly and/or we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts or content. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
Mandurah Pro Off To Sizzling Start
WSL
The Mandurah Pro, the opening event of the West Australian Pro Surf Series kicked off today at Pyramids Beach with small, clean and highly contestable conditions prevailing for the opening round of Men's and Women's competition.
An ease in overnight swell forced competition to go mobile, with Pyramids on the south side of the Dawesville Cut serving up summer-like conditions, with 2-3 feet waves testing competitors who had converged on Mandurah from nine separate nations.
16 heats highlighted an exciting day and as temperature soared above 30 degrees, the action in and out of the water was red-hot. Surfers who were able to maximize their opportunities extracted big scores out of the small waves on offer.
Men's heats kicked off the day with West Australian stalwart Luke Campbell (Margaret River, AUS) an early standout, winning his opening round heat on the strength of some solid and smart backhand surfing.
Campbell posted a two-wave combined total of 12.20 (from a possible 20), which included a heat-high 6.60 (from a possible 10).
"It's always nice to get an event started with a win," laughed Campbell. "It was definitely tough out there, but I found a couple of runners and got the job done."
Alex McGuffin (Bicton, AUS) was another West Australian who found the conditions to his liking, posting the highest combined total for the Men's on day one. McGuffin's 13.65 (from a possible 20) came off the strength of his innovative forehand attack.
McGuffin took to the sky, nailing multiple aerial reverses and booking his place in round two with ease.
"The waves have been sort of small, but the lefts are offering multiple sections," said McGuffin. "I landed one air and just kept going for them and I'm really stoked to win that heat. I love it down here in Mandurah, there's a variety of different waves and although it was tricky I'm happy to get through."
Other male surfers to impress on day one included, Tully Wylie (Jan Juc, AUS), Darcy Crump (Avalon, AUS), Lucas Wrice (Wollongong, AUS), Samson Coulter (Manly, AUS), Cy Cox (Margaret River, AUS) and Dylan Moffat (Narrabeen, AUS) who all won their opening round heats at the Mandurah Pro.
In the Women's event, number one seed and former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Claire Bevilacqua (ITA) kicked off her campaign in style, winning thanks to some strong backhand surfing.
Bevilacqua posted a 6.50 (from a possible 10) and backed it up with a 4.75 to finish on a combined total of 11.25 (from a possible 20).
"It's a beautiful day down here and I've been loving just hanging out with my friends," said Bevilacqua. "Conditions are offering us opportunities for big scores still so I can't complain, just head down and get the job done."
Another former CT surfer that has close ties to Western Australia is Felicity Palmateer (Burleigh Heads, AUS). Despite years of experience in the waves around Mandurah, Palmateer struggled to find quality waves, but did enough to get a hard-fought win, ahead of WA rising star Coral Durant (Red Bluff, AUS).
"That heat was a real nail-biter, I left it to the last 10 minutes to get my two waves," said Palmateer. "It is tricky out there, there's a lot more closeout this afternoon and you just have to find a corner, but I'm just happy to progress and hopefully the rest of the event brings more swell."
Joining Bevilacqua and Palmateer in the winner's circle was Brittany Penaroza (HAW), Saffi Vette (NZL), 2019 Australasian Pro Junior Champion Molly Micklum (North Shelly, AUS), Mandurah Pro local wildcard April McPherson (Falcon, AUS), Vittoria Farmer (Noosa, AUS) and Yolda Hopkins (PRT).
Surf conditions are forecast to ease overnight with potential lay-day on the cards for tomorrow. A 7am call will be made tomorrow for Men's and Women's Round 2.
The WA Pro Surf Series has been made possible thanks to a successful partnership between Surfing WA, WSL, City of Mandurah, Visit Mandurah, City of Busselton, and the Western Australian Government, through Tourism WA.
WA Pro Surf Series Event Dates
Mandurah Pro QS1,000 - October 19 - 22
Cape Naturaliste Pro QS1,000 - October 24 - 27
Mandurah Pro
The Margaret River duo has claimed their maiden WSL QS victories on home soil at stop one of the 2019 WA Pro Surf Series.
Competitors have arrived in West Aus ahead of the first event of the second annual Western Australia Pro Surf Series.
Siblings Harry and April McPherson have been awarded wildcard spots into their home event the Mandurah Pro QS1,000 which is set to hit West
WSL Australia / Oceania Regional QS race set to heat up in the West this October.
News
Recap the first day of competition at the eThekwini Surf Pro Longboard.
Yago Dora's journey from wildcard to CT champion comes full circle in front of a roaring home crowd in Rio. After a brutal injury and long
The VIVO Rio Pro has become the ultimate stage for progressive surfing. From full-rotation alley-oops to Medina's historic backflip, Rio
At just 18, Caitlin Simmers lead surfing's next generation, taking down a stacked field-and her longtime rival-to go back-to-back at the
The Championship Tour is Burleigh Bound. The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro presented by GWM will go down at Burleigh Heads, a location with its own