Teenage surfer Willow Hardy delivered a crowd-pleasing performance at her hometown break on Monday, despite being eliminated in the early rounds of the World Surf League’s Margaret River Pro.
After two days of delays due to flat conditions, the event resumed with massive three-metre-plus waves crashing through the competition zone. The swell tested even the world’s best, snapping boards and demanding precise positioning in the lineup.
Eighteen-year-old Hardy, competing in an elimination heat, made an explosive start by taking on one of the day’s largest waves less than a minute into the round. Though a wipeout and a closely contested heat saw her bow out with a total score of 7.97, the Margaret River local earned widespread admiration for her fearless approach.
“I made the drop, so I was starting to think about doing a turn and then I just went headfirst—crayfish diving,” Hardy said after her heat. “I don’t really know what happened. I want to see it back. It didn’t feel that big, but everyone said it was solid.”
Local Standouts Shine
Fellow Margaret River surfer Jacob Willcox also made headlines, stunning the field with a win over world number one Italo Ferreira just hours after advancing through the elimination round.
“It’s almost anyone’s game out there—you just need to be able to pick the good waves,” Willcox said. “Being a local definitely helps knowing where those good waves are coming through.”
Veteran Australian competitor Sally Fitzgibbons also kept her championship hopes alive, avoiding elimination with a clutch performance that earned her an 8.33 and second place in her heat. The result was critical, as a loss would have seen her drop off the elite tour.
“It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster,” Fitzgibbons said. “Your board snaps with three minutes to go, you hear others getting waves and think, ‘That’s it for me.’ Then you come in and they say you made it—you live to see another day.”
Homegrown Talent Embraces the Challenge
For local juniors, the intimidating swell is all part of life in Margaret River. Fourteen-year-old Brody Mulik said the conditions, while challenging, were also exhilarating.
“I was definitely a little nervous paddling out, but I got used to it,” Mulik said. “You can feel your heart pounding when you come off the wave—it’s really short but really intense.”
Mulik noted that the biggest challenge is positioning.
“You can’t be a little bit wide or a little bit deep. You have to be in the right spot,” he said.
Conditions Continue to Test the Field
The Margaret River Pro continues with more big surf expected in the coming days. As competitors navigate the powerful swells and local knowledge becomes a decisive advantage, fans can expect more dramatic turns and upsets on one of Australia’s most iconic breaks.