Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Jacob Willcox is a young surfer from Margaret River in my electorate of Forrest who is making headlines all around the world. At the same time, he has been pursuing his surfing career ambitions. Last year Jacob completed his ATAR year 12 education at Margaret River Senior High School, thus giving himself a number of options for his future. This is exactly what his parents wanted him to do, and Jacob knows the need for a good education as well as his surfing career.

He has been very successful in junior surfing competitions and won a gold medal at the ISA Juniors. After his wild card entry into the 2013 Rip Curl Pro in Portugal, Jacob shot to Australian and international prominence when, in a memorable performance, he beat 11-time world champion Kelly Slater in the first round of the Moche Rip Curl Pro at Supertubos in Portugal late last year. Jacob rode the wave of that success into 2014, winning a pair of junior tour events in Sydney and New Zealand as well as adding two quarter-final appearances to his long list of achievements.

At Australia's biggest grassroots boardriders event series, the Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle, Jacob helped push the Margaret River Boardriders Club to victory in the Yallingup leg of the national series in November, posting the two highest individual scores in the skins division of the contest. Jacob made history by becoming the first athlete to take out dual, back-to-back South West Academy of Sport's sports star of the year and individual male athlete awards for the past two years. Jacob said: 'I focused on surfing a lot more at the start of the year and that is when I got the majority of good results. The end half of the year I really had to knuckle down at school but I learned a lot from having to balance both scenes.' Jacob said the opportunity to surf in two world championship tour events was the highlight of his year and that he was looking forward to dedicating more time to his sport after completing year 12 earlier this month. He said his dream is to get onto the world tour. He wants to take a couple of gap years and focus on getting his weight up so that he is on an even playing field when the waves start getting big. Jacob is determined to make the world qualifying series this year and eventually make the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour. In his first event for 2015, Jacob was successful in Sydney, just about taking the title for the second time in the pro junior men's category in the Australian championships.

Even with the recognition that comes with his success, Jacob has kept in touch with his home town, Margaret River, and enjoys coming back to enjoy the magnificent beaches and to pass on tips to avid younger surfers. Although surfing is his foremost career choice, Jacob intends to study sports science externally over the next couple of years. The south-west of WA has nurtured many amazing young rising sports stars, as has the South West Academy of Sport. Jacob is a very sound role model for other aspiring athletes as he balances his sporting and future working careers. Jacob's motto is 'Live life to the fullest.' I wish him every success and happiness in his endeavours and thank his parents and everyone who has supported him in his efforts.