The Cruel Reality of the WSL Mid-Season Cut
The World Surf League’s (WSL) mid-season cut at the Margaret River Pro has once again delivered heartbreak and triumph, as surfers battled for their careers on the Championship Tour. This pivotal event determines who advances and who faces the challenging path of re-qualification on the Challenger Series.
Key Takeaways
- The WSL mid-season cut at Margaret River has concluded, with several surfers missing out on retaining their elite status.
- Liam O’Brien was eliminated from the Championship Tour after a high-stakes heat against fellow Australian Connor O’Leary.
- Veteran surfer Jacob Willcox, who experienced the cut’s sting last year, found redemption by qualifying for the quarter-finals.
- The controversial mid-season cut format is set to be abolished in 2026, with a return to an all-season points system and Pipeline as the final event.
- Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons is also facing the pressure of the cut in the women’s field.
High-Stakes Showdowns
The Margaret River Pro, stop seven on the 2025 tour, served as the battleground for the dreaded mid-season cut. This year, the pressure was palpable as surfers like Australian-Japanese Connor O’Leary and Queenslander Liam O’Brien faced off in a heat that would decide their immediate futures on the Championship Tour (CT). With O’Leary just above the cut-line and O’Brien below, the heat was a direct confrontation for CT survival.
O’Leary ultimately edged out O’Brien by a narrow margin, ending O’Brien’s two-year CT career. The emotional exchange between the friends and rivals highlighted the brutal nature of the cut. "It sucks, man," O’Leary admitted, acknowledging the difficulty of competing against a close mate. "I’ve been hanging around with LOB for a couple of years now, we’re really close. It sucks, but I guess you’ve just got to put it all aside and put yourself first."
The Cut’s Impact and Future Changes
Introduced in 2022, the mid-season cut slims the field from 34 to 22 men and 18 to 10 women, directly impacting qualification for the following season. This format has been a point of contention, seen by some as an attempt to boost casual interest in the sport, alongside other changes like the introduction of a final-five playoff for the title.
Local surfer Jacob Willcox, who experienced the cut’s harsh reality last year after years of striving for CT qualification, found a measure of redemption at Margaret River. After winning the local trials, he defeated world number one Italo Ferreira and João Chianca to reach the quarter-finals. "It feels a lot better than it did last year, that’s for sure," Willcox stated. "Last year was just bitter disappointment – this year I feel like I’m going for a bit of redemption at home, and set myself up for a good year on the Challenger."
Willcox expressed empathy for his fellow surfers who fell victim to the cut, including O’Brien, veteran Ryan Callinan, and rookie George Pittar. "It’s heartbreaking watching those boys – I know exactly how they feel," he said. "If I can say anything, it all comes around – you’ll get your chance again."
In a significant shift, the WSL has announced major format changes for 2026, including the abolition of the mid-season cut, an expanded women’s field, and a return to the overall points total system for crowning the champion. Pipeline in Hawaii will also reclaim its traditional role as the season-ending event.
Emotional Spectacle
Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons is also facing the pressure of the cut, needing a strong performance at Margaret River to secure her CT future. The emotional toll of these events was palpable, with surf magazine Stab describing the spectacle as "visceral." WSL commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer acknowledged the emotional highs and lows, stating, "I feel for people. It’s one of those events where we’re going to watch people have incredible performances and leave on really big highs; if you haven’t qualified for the next year, you’ll have to pick yourself up again."
Sources
- ‘It sucks, man’: World Surf League’s dreaded cut claims its final unlucky victims | Surfing, The Guardian.
