The final stop on the Australian Leg of the WCT hits the water this week, centred around Margaret River in Western Australia. A completely different wave to the first event over at Snapper Rocks, West Oz is all about big powerful waves, will John-John Florence dominate at Margies yet again or will someone else take the crown this time around?
What makes this competition even harder (especially for those of you joining in our Fantasy Surfer League - check out our featured blog post for more info) is that it's a mobile event. That means depending on conditions the event could run in one of 3 locations; the primary location at Margaret River main break is a big, open ocean wave that will regularly produce waves 2-3 times overhead, with big open faces to lay down some huge turns like John-John did last year.
Option number 2 is The Box, which is a terrifyingly shallow, slabbing reef break capable of giving surfers the barrel of their lives. A firm favourite amongst the tube-hounds on tour, this spot is sure to have thrills and plenty of spills!
The final option for the competition is North Point, which is renowned as one of the best waves on the planet when it's on, it's not the most consistent wave around but a firm favourite amongst the tour-surfers! North Point offers barrels, huge long walls and we've even seen a few big aerials in the past!
Regardless of which spot the event runs at, one thing that is guaranteed in WA (West Australia) is power. The swells come directly from the Southern Ocean storms that circulate endlessly around Antarctica, gathering more and more energy until they reach the reefs of this magical area called Margaret River.
Always a spectacular event to watch (if you can deal with the time difference!), so tune in to Facebook and watch live via the WSL page, you can tune in to www.worldsurfleague.com to watch all the action on the Heat Analyser and make sure to keep an eye on our own Facebook page for updates as we go!
BGSS Top Pick - Carissa Moore for the girls has the skills to win at all 3 locations, and growing up in Hawaii she's used to these powerful waves. Michel Bourez' power will make him our favourite on the men's side, a solid all-rounder and he'll be tough to beat!
REIGNING CHAMPS - John-John Florence & Sally Fitzgibbons