Brazilian Duo Tatiana Weston-Webb and Filipe Toledo Win Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro
Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) and Filipe Toledo (BRA) celebrate their wins at the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro pres. by Corona. Photo: WSL / Miers
MARGARET RIVER, Western Australia, Australia (Monday, May 10, 2021) - Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) claimed victory today at the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro pres. by Corona, the fourth stop on the 2021 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). It was a massive day of action as Main Break turned on super clean four-to-six foot surf as 2021 saw two fresh faces holding the winner’s trophies for the fourth stop of the CT season.
Tatiana Weston-Webb Claims Second CT Win, Jumps to World No. 2
Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) has earned the second CT event win of her career after besting seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in the Final. The 25-year old posted an excellent 16.23 two-wave score (out of a possible 20) to Gilmore’s 15.00 for the win at Main Break in Margaret River.
“I can’t explain how incredible this feels,” Weston-Webb said. “Steph is one of the best surfers of all time and was always someone I looked up to so much, so it was incredible to come up against her in a Final. You don’t often get to surf against a seven-time WSL Champion so this feels amazing. I’m just thankful I took a win after a second-place finish at the last event.”
En route to her Final victory, Weston-Webb eliminated local hero Bronte Macaulay (AUS) in the Semifinals.
“I want to say that this win is for the Macaulay family,” continued Weston-Webb. “I came up against Bronte earlier today and seeing her show up for her heat was so brave. I can’t imagine what she has been going through. They are an amazing family with so much love and are such a big part of surfing here in the West and my condolences are with them.”
Following today’s win, Weston-Webb has secured the best start to a CT season and now jumps to World No. 2 on the leaderboard. With the new Rip Curl WSL Finals format, Weston-Webb has put herself in a strong position to lock herself into the Final 5 for a chance to win the 2021 World Title.
Filipe Toledo Takes Down Jordy Smith In Main Break Final
Filipe Toledo (BRA) was in searing form on Finals Day, building momentum through each heat he surfed and saving his best performance for last, posting a two-wave combination of 17.33 (out of a possible 20), one of the highest of the event and the 76th excellent heat total of his career. Toledo’s trademark frontside power-hacks seemed to match the Main Break grunt pound-for-pound as the exciting natural-footer gouged and sliced his way to victory with the equal second-highest total of the entire event.
This result sees Toledo rocket from 8th to 3rd on the rankings as he eyes a spot at the WSL Rip Curl Finals later this year.
“This has been a really fun week,” Toledo said. “There have been such amazing waves and amazing surfing from everybody so to come out on top feels so good. This one is for my son Koa, it’s his birthday today and he asked me to win the trophy. I promised him I would and I could not break the promise, so this one's for you son, I love you. This win will be a huge jump on the rankings for me which I needed. This Tour is all about consistency and if you’re not showing up in the Finals often, you won’t make that Final 5, and that’s my biggest goal for the year, to give myself that chance.”
Jordy Smith (ZAF) snuck his way into the Finals at Margaret River with a number of narrow margins separating him from his opponents. It wasn’t until his Semifinal that he showed everyone that he was a solid chance at taking victory at Main Break, a wave that has always suited his style of surfing. In the Final, Smith was unable to find an answer back to Toledo's massive scores but the South African was still stoked to find himself back in the mix on Finals Day for the first time on the 2021 Australian leg.
“What a week,” Smith said. “I always enjoy coming to West Aus and it’s because it offers up waves like we’ve had here for this entire contest. I had a good time today and was stoked to make it into a Final for the first time in who knows how long. Next, I just need to win one of these things. I’m just excited to try and keep some momentum and head over to Rottnest Island and hopefully go one better over there.”
Finals Breakthrough for 7x WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore
Seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) earned her best result of the season and her highest placing in Margaret River with a runner-up finish today at Main Break. In her 47th Final appearance, Gilmore was looking to clinch her 32nd CT victory, but it wasn’t to be as Weston-Webb pulled out one of her bigger performances to overcome Gilmore. Gilmore will now head to the Rip Curl Rottnest Search sitting in third place on the world rankings as she looks for her first victory since 2019.
“At the start I let Tatiana take that good one when I had priority and she got an 8.50,” Gilmore said. "That threw me off from the start, but I did keep positive that I could do it. I know I can get a 9.50 at this spot, but Tatiana is such a tough competitor and amazing surfer so I’m really just stoked to have made the Final out here. This is not a strong location for me, so I’m just stoked to have made the Final here for the first time. Tatiana is such an amazing competitor and her backhand is so strong especially on the closeout section here at Main Break, she was always going to be tough to beat. I’m looking forward to heading to Rottnest now and hopefully get past the Quarterfinals once again.”
Bronte Macaulay Equals Career-Best Result on Home Soil
The opening women’s Semifinal saw Bronte Macaulay (AUS) paddle out with huge support from the surfing world and local community. Macaulay showcased incredible commitment and courage throughout her heat, posting the highest single wave of the matchup but was unable to find a backup. Weston-Webb won the heat to progress into the Final, while Macaulay took her best result at Margaret River and the equal-best result of her career along with gaining huge admiration from her fellow competitors and surf fans around the world.
Pictured: Bronte Macaulay (AUS) in Semifinal 1 at the Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro pres. by Corona. Photo: WSL / Miers
Reigning World Champions Ferreira and Moore Fall Short on Finals Day
Carissa Moore (HAW), who led the rankings heading into this event, looked certain to progress into her third Final of the season as she tore through the field posting massive heat totals in every round but the semifinals where she was pipped at the post by eventual runner-up Gilmore. Similar to Moore, the men’s reigning World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) was unable to progress through his Quarterfinal heat with compatriot Filipe Toledo. Although he finished in equal 5th place, Ferreira hangs on to the second position on the 2021 WSL rankings.
Up Next: Rip Curl Rottnest Search pres. by Corona
Competitors will now shift their focus to the fifth event of the Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Rottnest Search presented by Corona, with the event window opening on May 16 and running through May 26. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners.
Although Rottnest Island will remain open for visitors while hosting the event, spectators will not be permitted at Strickland Bay as this will be a broadcast-only event.
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro Women’s Final Results:
1 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 16.23
2 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.00
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro Men’s Final Results:
1 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.40
2 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.23
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 12.27 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 9.00
HEAT 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.24 DEF. Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.00
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.33 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 15.16
HEAT 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.16 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 13.74
Boost Mobile Margaret River Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA) DEF. John John Florence (HAW) INJ
HEAT 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.00 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 10.90
HEAT 3: Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 15.43 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 9.73
HEAT 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.90 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.73
WSL Women’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Final 5:
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 29,970 pts
2 - Tatiana Weston Webb (BRA) 26,495 pts
3 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 22,035 pts
4 - Caroline Marks (USA) 21,305 pts
5 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 19,965 pts
WSL Men’s Championship Tour Leaderboard Final 5:
1 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 28,920 pts
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 24,150 pts
3 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 20,735 pts
4 - John John Florence (HAW) 19,395 pts
5 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 19,185 pts
Comments
Congrats to WSL, Tati and Phil on an awesome conest! Great waves and incredible surfing, partic today. Thoughts and prayers are with Bronte and family.
What happened to the family? I see references to something but no details.
Brother passed away mate. Reported as unexpected, but no details.
Ah fuck. That’s super sad
Well so much for the rest of the world to catch up on the reef breaks of WA
The Brazilians kick every bodies backside in male and female. Australians
need to lift their game big time.
Probably not going to happen. Where hard houso kids got to grow up in Coolangatta, Palm Beach, Maroubra et al in the past, they're now gentrified out of existence. Not to mention the extreme uptick in surf crowds.
The brazzos will be the next Aussies if the Chinese ever get involved! Just my opinion, could be wrong. It is worth remembering that Italo learnt to surf on two esky lids taped together.
"History is only the pattern of silken slippers descending the stairs to the thunder of hobnailed boots climbing upward from below." - Voltaire
juegasiempre > concur entirely and love that quote from Voltaire; right on the money. just look at a brazillains face when they lose vs. someone in the comfort zone. Speaking of which, pretty disappointed with Jack Robbo - surely the conditions, home break etc made it ideal for him to break out?
Perhaps not. Chinese surfers will either develop skills through wave pools or comfortable middle class holidays to surf breaks. Neither of which trumpet grim faced determination as result of impoverished desperation Their rote learnings courtesy of the CCP skill enhancement crew probably won’t get them much further than the foam pit babies of the current Aussie crop.
Why do they need to lift their game?
Look at the results.
I can see the results - just trying to understand why it matters whether anyone wins a surfing competition run by a business...surely it is clearly evident that these comps are simply marketing exercises geared to create profit for the owners.
Yep Aussie pro surfers remind me of council workers- do you best between morning smoko/ lunch/ arvo smoko/ RDO/ rain days etc. Still getting paid regardless of performance.
Maybe they're the smart ones then.......
I’m glad the CT is back. Just got to remember to keep it in mind that it’s not the World Cup, nor is it Wimbledon. Those are sports that have clear rules that result winners and losers. Ours is more like, no make that much more like the Oscars or the Grammys. Our Wozzle tour is a performance that has judging criteria and styles that come in and out of fashion. It’s a performance competition more than it is a sport. The saddest part to this truth is that it just makes you and I Dance Moms, but at least there’s room for some rock n roll attitude. We can still call out the truth. I’m looking forward to September because I know it’ll be a spectacle, and I’ll remember Tommy’s and Torryn’s clips for years
There are currently 11 fulltime Australian male competitors in the top 34 WCT (including Mikey - injury replacement).
9 are in the bottom 17
Mikey, Conner O'Leary and Ace make up last, second last and third last
Can anyone see any catching up in the final 5 events?
No.
Thats also a no from me.
I'll confirm another no at my end.
No.
No.
Come on fellas. Morgs, Ethan, RCal....
Morgs - has potential no worries there, but will need time.
Ethan - so much promise, yet...
RCal - I'd say our only surfer capable of making a sustained impact every event through the immediate future (ie 21 & 22).
It's bleak.
Fair call Belly. I'm not seeing much hunger outside of Morgs and RCal....
No - and I don't care.
Feel as though Owen and Julian's time has come and gone.
Yes
The younger Aussies are trying but the likes of Ace , Julian ,Owen just dont seem to want it bad enough . Most would remember how focused Mick used to be .
Next !!!!!!!!!
If Australia going backwards in world competitive surfing translates over time to less overall interest in surfing and therefore less people doing it here.........
BRING IT ON!!!
Doesn't seem to be at the moment does it?
I wonder whether the change of demographic at most beach locals in Oz would lend to less higher level success or as you mentioned less surfers?
Would that millionaire sea changer from the city be less likely to paddle out at the local (not be a surfer altogether) and from there would their kids be less likely to become surfers? Lets face it being a capable surfer requires a lot of graft.
Thoughts?
People as a generalisation are sheep. The more something is pushed down their throats and constantly reinforced as 'cool', 'the thing to do/buy' etc. the more that gravitate towards it.
Surfing has reached saturation point in that regard as opposed to, say, the end of the 70's when it was just another fringe activity and mainly for young men/boys. Apart from those doing it nobody else really took much interest. You'd reckon with so many more options these days in which to spend your leisure time that surfing would have become even more obscure but no, it's grown exponentially cause somehow the mainstream decided to latch onto it as being 'really cool' (insert vomit emoji) in part due to the global success of our surfers in the 80's and 90's. You only have to listen to non surfers, celebrities etc telling us how 'stoked' they are as one example. Another one is the plethora of adults with no surfing background moving to coastal areas, driving up house prices and deciding that they're gunna be part of the 'surf scene'. They start and a lot of them get their kids into it in junior board rider comps from ridiculously young ages. Fuck, turn up to Jan Juc beach on any given weekend and it's almost a rarity when a comp ISNT on these days. Little kids in coloured rashies with mums and dads on the beach videoing and frantically waving at them to paddle this way or that. None of that shit back in the day.
Like someone above said, the demographic has changed from (mostly) working class blue collar to the priveleged, wealthy wannabes. Look at a place like Byron Bay compared to what it used to be FFS.
It's probably too late now but if Australia slides down the rankings in competitive surfing like we did in tennis and golf over the last few decades maybe kids will be pushed into other activities and adults will tune into the next 'hip' thing.
Thank fuck my surfing days will be done by the time the chinese wave gets rolling............
The Australian population was at 11.39 million when I first stood up on a board in 1965......it locks in at close to 26 million now....the world population was 3 billion - now it's racing past 8 billion...Paul Erlich called it in 1968 (The Population Bomb)......just fortunate to have had the 70's through to 2000 in the water while all of this was brewing. We're careering toward big trouble and surf crowds are the least of our challenges.
Yes, solitude, the changing demographics around beaches is evident. Maroubra used to be rough as guts, now it’s million dollar plus everywhere. It has changed the line up considerably. I used to be genuinely intimidated by the people out there but that time has passed. Now there are plenty of surfers out there but mostly they come from far and wide, I don’t think locals make up anything like the percentage of surfers out there now. Certainly the skill level has dropped significantly. Still great surfers around there, but they are the tiny minority with most having just got past beginner status.
Similar up the coast, used to be a little rough around the edges but everyone around there surfed. Now it’s more gentrified and the numbers in the water aren’t that much more, although local population has doubled and more. Gentrification = less commitment to surfing.
Unfortunately more people are getting out there, but most aren’t the lifelong commitment types.
Exactly
Goofy4
Your last comment is the only one I agree with from you. The world is heading for
a lot of hurt from the Chinese and about time the world woke up to it.
I really enjoy the pro surfing men anyway especially if its firing. I wont
watch it in the pool though even if it is the most even playing field.Boring.
That comment was not aimed at Chinese people, so i guess we don't agree on anything.
Stoked for Filipe really like his surfing just for the you never know what he is going to do next aspect, and now he has really lifted his rail game he is even better to watch.
Next comp at Rottnest is going to be interesting.
Goofy4
Fine with me buddy
Toledo rode a spicey wave in round one which made me realise he could go all the way if the swell dropped below intimidating. He made mincemeat of those waves on the final day and deserved the win. At that size JJF doesn’t have any advantage.
Tatiana dominated that event. Filipe surfed best in the finals & deserved the win. World Champion of surfing has become a lot more meaningful these days, that's for sure.
The Balinese surfers look pretty sharp
Anyone know why it wasn't held at the box? Results would have been different I reckon with Flippy replaced with Italo in the final and maybe still Jordy.
Great event again. WSL delivers again...and yet, the usual Swellnet whingers are still whinging. That’s some sort of civid normal. Robinson and R.Cal are the only Aussies that will push the Brazzos, the rest are either just making up numbers or past their use by dates.
Roadkill 100% agree with you and did you notice Robbo riding strange looking boards
had a really different style and surfed really forward on his board. He definitely didnt
surf up to his extraordinary ability. Disappointing.