The culmination of the Margaret River Pro also brought to an end the drama of the mid-season cut. While the WSL was not blessed with epic conditions in WA until finals day, the threat of the axe insured tension throughout the event window.

Undoubtedly, the biggest name to fall off tour was 11x world champion Kelly Slater. It was a moment that will go down in history as it potentially brought to an end one of the most illustrious competitive careers in sporting history.

Aside from Slater, there was a number of staples on tour from both the men’s and women’s side that were sent packing and will be forced to gear up for the first event of the Challenger Series which will be held at Snapper Rocks later this month.

On the men’s side, four Brazilians were relegated meaning that Gabby, Italo and Yago are the only South American’s left on the men’s CT. The Brazilian storm which had taken over and dominated for a number of years seems to have passed, with former world champion Italo ranked the highest at 16^th.

The Brazzo’s cut include brothers Samuel and Miguel Pupo who both had an emotional week when they were forced to surf against each other in a do or die situation in the round of 16. Younger brother Sammy ended Miguel’s time on tour, but was then knocked out in the quarters himself leaving him one heat short of making the top 22.

Rookies Kade Matson, Eli Hanneman and Jacob Willcox will also return to the proving grounds where they will be hoping their time on the CT was not a one hit wonder.

On the women’s ranking, long time tour competitors Sally Fitzgibbons and Lakey Peterson were unable to fend off the new gen-z charge in women’s surfing and were ousted to the Challenger Series.

Despite a 5^th place finish at Margs, last year’s Challenger Series winner India Robinson will return to Snapper to see if she can win back to back titles.