Australian Wildcards Announced for WA Margaret River Pro

Five Australian wildcards have been announced for the 2025 Western Australia Margaret River Pro – the final stop on the Australian Championship Tour Leg, and the last event before the Mid-Season Cut.

Margaret River’s Bronte Macaulay will make her highly anticipated return to elite competition in front of a home crowd, less than a year after stepping away from the Championship Tour.

The men’s draw will feature Winter Vincent and Mikey McDonagh, two standouts from Australia’s Challenger Series ranks. Vincent earns his first Championship Tour opportunity following a runner-up finish at the WSL World Junior Championships. McDonagh returns as the official WSL Event Wildcard, fresh off a strong Challenger Series campaign in 2024.

Local wildcards Jacob Willcox and Willow Hardy secured their places with standout performances in the Think Mental Health WA Trials. As a former CT competitor, Wilcox will relish the opportunity to once again compete at his home break. Ahead of her first year on the Challenger Series, Hardy joins the women’s draw for her maiden CT appearance.

The Margaret River Pro marks the final event before the Mid-season Cut, where the field is narrowed heading into the second half of the year.

This year, a unique pressure faces the women — with the CT expanding from 18 to 24 surfers in 2026, only one athlete will be relegated. That spot is currently held by Sally Fitzgibbons, despite her incredible run to the Final at the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro. With less than 3,200 points separating 15th from 9th, a result in Margaret River could shift the rankings dramatically.

On the men’s side, a number of Australians are teetering near the cut line. Joel Vaughan sits in 14th — narrowly inside the qualification zone — while George Pittar (24th) and Liam O’Brien (25th) are both within striking distance. Pittar, who placed third at Margaret River last year as a wildcard, and O’Brien, a proven performer in West Aus conditions, will be fighting to keep their CT dreams alive.

The stage is set for a dramatic and action-packed event window from May 17 to 27.

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