Dylan Moffat and India Robinson take out the Mad Mex Maroubra Pro.
Sunday, 28 February 2021
By Surfing NSW
Dylan Moffat and India Robinson have taken out the 2021 Mad Mex Maroubra Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) event today after a day of challenging one-foot waves at Maroubra Beach. Nevertheless, some of Australia’s best were on-hand to make light work of the waves and put a champagne finish on what has been a stellar event.
Moffat looked like he had rockets on the back of his board over the course of the Mad Mex Maroubra Pro, flying effortlessly around dead sections and performing a multitude of giant turns in the tiny conditions. The northern beaches native appeared to re-tap into the momentum that saw him claim the 2020 Australian Open of Surfing series late last year as he consistently posted decent scores for critical manoeuvres. Moffat will now head into the upcoming Vissla Central Coast Pro with his head held high, as he looks to notch up a massive finish to a giant WSL QS leg. The win at Maroubra is Moffat’s first QS victory.
“I’m so elated, to have the year I had at the end of 2020 and to come into this event and take it out really makes me feel like my hard work is paying off,” said Moffat. “It would have been awesome to trade off some bigger waves with Soli. I have so much admiration for him and to be able to have a final with him feels pretty awesome.”
Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
After being dubbed by many as the surfer to beat at the recent Port Stephens Pro - before being eliminated in the semi-finals - India Robinson looked unstoppable as she made her way to Maroubra. Robinson shone across all her earlier heats, consistently posting two-wave heat totals in excess of 13-points. The win at Maroubra is the Victorian surfers first major QS win since the Phillip Island Pro back in 2018.
“I’m over the moon with this result, especially to win in these conditions,” said Robinson. “Small waves are generally not my strong suit, so to claim a win when it’s like this gives me a lot of confidence as we head into the Central Coast. I tried to get busier and just hope for the best to be honest. Hopefully, this will be the first good result of many.”
Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
India Robinson in action on Day 3 - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Showing genuine shock that he even made the final in the tiny surf, men’s runner-up Soli Bailey struggled to find rhythm against Moffat as he sat patiently and waited for an elusive wave that never eventuated. Despite looking ready to strike if provided with the opportunity, the former Championship Tour surfer was unable to find a score of substance in the wave-starved final and had to settle for second position against Moffat.
“I felt like I built through the event and was feeling really confident going into that final, but the waves just didn’t come and I think I might go into the history books for one of the lowest heat totals ever (laughs),” said Bailey. “Dylan got the only real wave of substance that came through and he smashed it apart, so I’m stoked for him. He’s been surfing so well over this QS leg and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Runner-up Sophie McCulloch has shown that she’s eager for Challenger Series qualification, surfing with aggression and style the whole way through the event. After notching up a runner-up finish in the Great Lakes Pro and a quarterfinal finish at the recent Port Stephens Pro, McCulloch came into Maroubra keen to go one step further, but was unable to find the necessary 8.75 wave score needed to take away Robinson’s lead. The Sunshine Coast surfer took multiple scalps along the way to the final, eliminating current world number three Sally Fitzgibbons and perennial event standout Dimity Stoyle from the event.
“It takes a while for the sting of losing a final to wear off, but at the end of the day you sit back and look at the event you had and you can be a bit happier, but yeah, I can’t wait to win one hopefully,” said McCulloch. “It was awesome to have that quarterfinal against Sally and come away with the win. Having a heat win like that gives me a lot of confidence especially as we head into the Central Coast where a lot of Championship Tour surfers are competing.”
Special mention must go to Dimity Stoyle, Kehu Butler, Philippa Anderson and Kalani Ball who all went down in the semi-finals. Although they were unable to clinch QS victories, all surfers put on impressive performances and notched up a handful of excellent scores over the duration of their campaigns.
The live broadcast of the Mad Mex Maroubra Pro began on Saturday, 27 February 2021 and was streamed live on Surfing NSW website and Facebook.
The elite three-day World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1000 rated event will form the third of four stops on the Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series and will take place in Maroubra from the 26 February – 28 February 2021.
The four-event series will see three QS1000 rated events (Maroubra, Great Lakes and Port Stephens) and one men’s and women’s QS3000 (Central Coast).
In 2020, the WSL revealed a new format for 2021, which included creating distinct seasons between the QS (the regionalised development tier), the Challenger Series (the global battleground for Championship Tour qualification) and the Championship Tour (the world’s best surfers competing for the World Title).
The new tour structure will provide a more streamlined and affordable career pathway for WSL athletes by allowing up-and-coming surfers to develop closer to home without financially overleveraging themselves. Athletes will compete on their regional QS tour in hopes of qualifying for the Challenger Series (CS), and ultimately the Championship Tour, which will reduce the economic pressure on surfers and their sponsors, as well as provide increased opportunities to celebrate local stars.
The QS will run from January through to July 2021 and determine who has qualified for the CS, which will run from August through to December 2021. Each region will have an allocation of surfers that can qualify for the CS through their regional tour. Athletes will be able to roll over points from 2020 QS events into the current season. Australia/Oceania will receive an allocation of ten men’s and eight women’s spots onto the Challenger Series based on the regional QS rankings.
All events will be webcast through worldsurfleague.com, surfingnsw.com.au and the WSL App.
For more information on these events head to worldsurfleague.com or check the free WSL App.
2021 Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series Event Schedule
Event 1: Great Lakes Pro, Boomerang Beach, Tuesday 16 – Friday 19 February 2021.
Event 2: Port Stephens Pro, Birubi Beach, Sunday 21 – Tuesday 23 February 2021.
Event 3: Mad Mex Maroubra Pro, Maroubra Beach, Friday 26 – Sunday 28 February 2021.
Event 4: Vissla Central Coast Pro, Avoca Beach, Tuesday 2 – Sunday 7 March 2021.
The 2021 Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The series is also be proudly supported by Vissla, Randwick City Council, Central Coast Council, Mid Coast Council, Port Stephens Council, Mad Mex, Sisstrevolution, Middle Rock Holiday Park, Moby’s Beachside Retreat, Avoca Beach Hotel, WSL and Surfing NSW.
Day 2 at the 2021 Mad Mex Maroubra Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1000 rated event
Saturday, 27 February 2021
By Surfing NSW
The 2021 Mad Mex Maroubra Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1000 rated event saw a gigantic day of surfing today with the top-seeds doing battle in fun two-to-three foot conditions.
Current WSL world number three, Sally Fitzgibbons donned a competitive rashie for the first time since the 2020 Maui Pro presented by ROXY at Pipeline and showed that her skills remained as sharp as ever as she demolished her way through the heat. Fitzgibbons found a handful of punchy righthand shorebreaks in the exchange, smashing some beautiful snaps and carves to finish the heat with a decent 12.35 two wave heat total. Fitzgibbons will now face Anne Dos Santos, Sage Goldsbury and Kirra-Belle Olsson in the first heat of the day tomorrow.
“I found it really exciting to be coming into this event,” said Fitzgibbons. “I think I put pressure on myself to implement the things I have worked on in my training and have put my attention on things that are down the track, like the Olympics, working on boards and things like that. But these 20-minute heats in smaller surf is the training I think I need to test myself and move forward. Hopefully I can keep making more heats tomorrow.”
Sally Fitzgibbons - Photos by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Kirra-Belle Olsson showed that she’d be one to watch in later rounds and when she utilises her local wildcard at the upcoming Sisstrevolution Central Coast Pro. Olsson opted to hunt down a series of playful lefthanders in the heat which were duly rewarded with a 12.00 two-wave heat total.
“I feel like I’ve been surfing well and a lot of my training is paying off,” said Olsson. “I’ve also found that staying busy is key in conditions like this as you could get lost out there pretty easily and miss certain opportunities. I’ve been really excited on competing lately and I honestly can’t wait to surf in my next heat.”
Kirra-Belle Olsson- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Fresh off a runner-up finish at the recent Port Stephens Pro, Philippa Anderson carried an added spring in her step as she tore through her first-round heat. Anderson found a handful of beautiful righthanders in the heat and proceeded to execute a barrage of critical snaps and carves to finish the heat with a 14.35 two-wave heat total.
“I watched a lot of heats before mine and I saw that the girls were getting six-point rides for a lot of righthanders and I got super excited to get out there,” said Anderson. “We’ve been really blessed with waves over the course of this QS leg and it’s been awesome to see all the girls and guys putting up good scores. Hopefully, this will just be the start and the swell will continue.”
Philippa Anderson- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
After taking out the 2020 Australian Open of Surf series, Dylan Moffat has been unable to find the same form over the last two QS events. That being said, Moffat looked like he was back in excellent form as he took out his round of 32 heat. The Narrabeen native performed a variety of high-flying aerial antics in the heat to take the win ahead of his fancied opposition, Kalani Ball, Jarvis Earle and Lennix Smith who claimed second, third and fourth respectively.
“That was exciting,” said Moffat. “I was watching everyone catching waves and I just felt like I was in rhythm. I came here this morning expecting smaller, onshore conditions and we ended up getting fun and punchy righthanders, so maybe not having any expectations paid off for me in that heat.”
Dylan Moffat - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
After winning the Port Stephens Pro earlier in the week, Jackson Baker showed he would still be the man to beat as he shone in his round of 32 heat. Using his trademark pink surfboard, the Novocastrian natural-footer showed that power surfing would always reign supreme as he hammered a series of hacks and snaps to take a heat victory and go one step further to claiming back-to-back victories.
"I hadn’t really ridden this board much since Port Stephens and the waves there were so cuppy but as the tide ran out here today the waves were doing the same thing as they did there,” said Baker. “That was the hardest 1000 heat I’ve ever had for sure, it could have been a heat in a Challenger Series for sure. When you have a heat against guys who are that good, you want to make sure you get a good start because you don’t want to be chasing people in a heat like that.”
Jackson Baker - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Central Coast junior dynamo Joel Vaughan posted the highest heat total of the day, 15.25 following an innovative display of aerial manoeuvres and powerful snaps. Coming up against fancied opponents Kyuss King, Alister Reginato and Jaggar Bartholomew, Vaughan performed mammoth combinations to notch up the aforementioned score and earn his spot into the round of 16.
“The conditions dropped a touch as the afternoon moved on and the tide ran out but there were still some good sections if you could be patient,” said Vaughan. “I try not to focus too much on anyone else in the heat, I know they all surf amazing, but I just stick to my own plan and improve my own situation.”
Joel Vaughan - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
The live broadcast of the Mad Mex Maroubra Pro began on Saturday, 27 February 2021 and is being streamed live on the Surfing NSW website and Facebook.
The elite three-day World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1000 rated event will form the third of four stops on the Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series and will take place in Maroubra from the 26 February – 28 February 2021.
The four-event series will see three QS1000 rated events (Maroubra, Great Lakes and Port Stephens) and one men’s and women’s QS3000 (Central Coast).
In 2020, the WSL revealed a new format for 2021, which included creating distinct seasons between the QS (the regionalised development tier), the Challenger Series (the global battleground for Championship Tour qualification) and the Championship Tour (the world’s best surfers competing for the World Title).
The new tour structure will provide a more streamlined and affordable career pathway for WSL athletes by allowing up-and-coming surfers to develop closer to home without financially overleveraging themselves. Athletes will compete on their regional QS tour in hopes of qualifying for the Challenger Series (CS), and ultimately the Championship Tour, which will reduce the economic pressure on surfers and their sponsors, as well as provide increased opportunities to celebrate local stars.
The QS will run from January through to July 2021 and determine who has qualified for the CS, which will run from August through to December 2021. Each region will have an allocation of surfers that can qualify for the CS through their regional tour. Athletes will be able to roll over points from 2020 QS events into the current season. Australia/Oceania will receive an allocation of ten men’s and eight women’s spots onto the Challenger Series based on the regional QS rankings.
All events will be webcast through worldsurfleague.com, surfingnsw.com.au and the WSL App.
For more information on these events head to worldsurfleague.com or check the free WSL App.
2021 Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series Event Schedule
Event 1: Great Lakes Pro, Boomerang Beach, Tuesday 16 – Friday 19 February 2021.
Event 2: Port Stephens Pro, Birubi Beach, Sunday 21 – Tuesday 23 February 2021.
Event 3: Mad Mex Maroubra Pro, Maroubra Beach, Friday 26 – Sunday 28 February 2021.
Event 4: Vissla Central Coast Pro, Avoca Beach, Tuesday 2 – Sunday 7 March 2021.
The 2021 Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The series is also be proudly supported by Vissla, Randwick City Council, Central Coast Council, Mid Coast Council, Port Stephens Council, Mad Mex, Sisstrevolution, Middle Rock Holiday Park, Moby’s Beachside Retreat, Avoca Beach Hotel, WSL and Surfing NSW.
WSL Qualifying Series lights up Sydney on day one of Mad Mex Maroubra Pro.
Friday, 26 February 2021
By Surfing NSW
The 2021 Mad Mex Maroubra Pro. World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1000 rated event got off to a flying start today with the first rounds of competition kicking off in clean two-foot conditions.
After some uncharacteristic early round losses at Great Lakes and Port Stephens, Margaret River’s Jacob Willcox appeared to turn the table as he tore his way through his opening heat at Maroubra. Willcox found a handful of playful and punchy left-hand shorebreaks in the heat to win with a series of respectable scores. Willcox will meet Tekehukehu Butler, Dakoda Walters and Josh Boyle in the next round.
“I feel like I’ve had such an average start to the year in these events and I entered them to get some more competitive practice, but it hasn’t really turned out the way I would have liked, but I guess losing heats is good practice as well,” said Willcox. “I feel like that last event in Port Stephens was one of the worst losses I’ve had since Portugal a few years ago, where I had a first round loss, but then the next event was a 10,000 rated comp and I made the semis. I think sometimes a loss is just what you need to reset and get a bit of a fresh start.”
South African born goofy-foot and reigning Maroubra Pro champion Sarah Baum sent a huge message to her opposition as she belted out an array of vicious turns in her opening heat. Baum unleashed a barrage of critical forehand snaps to be rewarded with an excellent 8.17 and cement her spot into the second round of competition.
“That left hander just opened up and presented such a beautiful wall,” said Baum. “I definitely felt good after that heat and I think that score line definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into the next round. I always feel good competing here at Maroubra and have had some good results here in the past, so I’m really excited to get into the next round.”
After receiving a series of injury wildcards into the higher seeded round of 64 at the Great Lakes Pro and the Port Stephens Pro, Kalani Ball began his Mad Mex Maroubra Pro campaign back in the first round. The Illawarra natural footer managed to build on the momentum that saw him notch up a semi-final finish at Port Stephens, nailing a beautiful array of snaps and carves to claim a heat victory with a two-wave heat total of 12.43.
“The waves are fun when they come, but it’s just a little bit slow,” said Ball. “Even though this is a different event and I’m starting in the first round, my game plan is still the same. All the guys who were in the heat are guys who are from around the same kinda area and I surf with them pretty often and I knew they all rip. Hopefully I can get a similar result to the one I got at Port Stephens.”
Maroubra local Koda Killorn flew the flag for the local surfing contingent, progressing through his opening heat. The powerful goofy-footer got the Maroubra locals on their feet over the course of the heat as he progressed through in the runner-up position behind Manly dynamo Axel Rose-Curotta.
“I was actually more nervous than any other event I’ve ever competed at,” said Killorn. “Having all my family and friends here was nerve-racking, but it’s sick having an event like this on my home beach and being able to run down from home and sleep in my own bed. I don’t think there’s too much of an advantage being local. Everyone is used to competing at beach breaks like this, so I don’t think I’ve got too much of a leg-up.”
Koda Killorn - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Following the withdrawal of Laura Enever from the event, it was left to Tru Starling to fly the flag for the Narrabeen locals. The young natural-footer didn’t disappoint as she notched up a win in the onshore afternoon surf ahead of fellow perennial standout Nyxie Ryan who claimed the runner-up position.
“The surf definitely got a lot trickier as the day went on,” said Starling. “Honestly, I have just been really enjoying this run of events and want to make sure I can keep improving as the leg goes on and if I can keep making heats then it’s just a bonus.”
Tru Starling - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Alysse Cooper - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Amber Dods - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Benny Wilson - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Brett Burcher- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Cedar Leigh-Jones - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Chris Zaffis - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Connor Lyons- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Cooper Chapman- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Dakoda Walters - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Ethan Hartge - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Freya Prumm- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
George Pittar- Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Harley Ross - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
India Robinson - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jacob Willcox - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jaggar Bartholomew - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jake Feher - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jamie Thomson - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jarvis Earle - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jordy Lawler Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Jordy Liackman - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Josh Boyle - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Josh Stretton - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Kalani Ball - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Kehu Butler - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Kobie Enright -Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Kyuss King - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Lennix Smith - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Liam O'Brien - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Marlon Harrison - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Micah Margieson - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Mikey McDonagh - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Mitch Crews - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Nathan Cook - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Nyxie Ryan - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Reef Heazlewood - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sage Goldsbury - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sheldon Simkus - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Soli Bailey - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sophie McCulloch - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sunny Whitby-Otto - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Tru Starling - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Zack McMahon - Photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
