One of the most intense days of surfing this year unfolded at the 2025 Margaret River Pro, as the mid-year cut on the Championship Tour (CT) dramatically reshaped the leaderboard. The event’s second day at Main Break delivered powerful, relentless 10-15 foot waves that tested even the world’s top surfers, leaving eight competitors off the tour and setting the stage for a decisive showdown at The Box.
The morning heats saw chaotic conditions marked by powerful, warbling rights that battered surfers regardless of their rankings. Several surfers fell victim to broken boards and snapped leashes, including Barron Mamiya, who was briefly trapped underwater when his leash tangled around a rock ledge, forcing him to sacrifice two fins. These punishing waves unsettled many competitors fighting to stay above the mid-year cut, defined as the top 22 men and top 10 women on the tour.
By afternoon, the competition settled somewhat, but the stakes remained high. The Round of 32 produced startling upsets, with five of the top ten men—Italo Ferreira, Yago Dora, Filipe Toledo, Ethan Ewing, and defending champion Jack Robinson—eliminated by lower-seeded surfers or wildcards.
After the round’s conclusion, ten men secured their spots safely above the mid-year cut, including Rio Waida, Jake Marshall, Griffin Colapinto, and Alan Cleland Jr. Conversely, ten surfers were relegated to the 2025 Challenger Series, including Ryan Callinan, Deivid Silva, Ian Gentil, and Liam O’Brien. Two additional surfers, Ramzi Boukhiam and Gabriel Medina, fell below the cut due to injury, though Medina is confirmed as a 2026 Season Wildcard.
Tension remains for surfers Alejo Muniz and Matthew McGillivray, who, despite currently sitting above the cut, face elimination depending on upcoming heats involving Crosby Colapinto, Jackson Bunch, and Imaikalani deVault. A complex set of scenarios will determine if these athletes maintain their tour status.
Alan Cleland, the only Mexican surfer on the CT, overcame a challenging heat against Rio Waida to secure his position on the tour, reflecting the high stakes and emotional intensity of the day.
“I can’t explain it, it’s something that’s been on my mind since I got on this Tour, since my first heat at Pipe,” Cleland said. “Going out there, I knew I was surfing against Rio, he’s one of the best, so I was just like, alright, I’ll just try to surf and put all my cards and let’s see what happens. I didn’t really realize… but then everybody told me I made the Cut. It’s a crazy feeling, I don’t know how to process it, but I’m just stoked to be a part of it.”
The day’s biggest surprise came when Imaikalani deVault of Hawaii defeated local favorite and reigning Margaret River champion Jack Robinson, a result few expected given Robinson’s dominance in these waves.
“I just feel like this event suits me,” deVault said. “Last year, Jack beat me with like 30 seconds left. Every time I surf against Jack we have a solid heat, so I was stoked. He’s the guy to beat here.”
Crosby Colapinto also delivered a standout performance, defeating Ethan Ewing to keep his tour hopes alive. “Coming up against Ethan, you know it’s going to be fireworks every time,” Colapinto said. “This wave is so challenging and all the prep work was so hard, so I felt like just putting waves together felt so good.”
Other notable moments included two Australian wildcards, Jacob Willcox and Mikey McDonagh, toppling world No. 1 Italo Ferreira and No. 2 Yago Dora, respectively. Meanwhile, Leonardo Fioravanti emerged as an early standout with near-perfect scores, showcasing technical prowess and bold maneuvers on waves twice his height.
On the women’s side, four elimination round heats unfolded, with Lakey Peterson and Sally Fitzgibbons battling to avoid last place, which now carries the consequence of relegation to the Challenger Series due to the field’s expansion next year.
Adding to the excitement, the World Surf League (WSL) has prepared to run heats at The Box starting at first light tomorrow. Scheduled for 7:15 a.m. AEST (4:15 p.m. Pacific Time on May 20), this marks the first CT heats at The Box since 2019, potentially deciding the fates of remaining surfers in overhead, square-barrel conditions.
For fans and competitors alike, the drama at Margaret River continues to build as the tour approaches its critical mid-year juncture.