Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations to the organisers, the competitors and the volunteers in this year's hugely successful Margaret River Pro. The Margaret River Pro is one of only two Australian events on the prestigious World Surf League championship tour. This year's live-streamed Margaret River Pro, in April, was held at Surfers Point at Prevelly, in the stunning Margaret River region. It is the midseason decider for the world championship tour. Only the top-performing surfers, together with wildcard competitors, advance to compete for the coveted world title in the final five events. The surfers who make it to that midseason cup automatically qualify for the start of the following year's world championship tour. The 2023 season will also be the top qualification route for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Given it's the midseason decider, it means that viewers see the world's best surfers put everything on the line to advance to the second half of the world tour. This year it was Gabrielle Medina and Carissa Moore who emerged victorious, with local hero Bronte Macaulay just edged out by Moore in the semifinal. I want to congratulate all of these surfing champions and all of those who worked to deliver the Margaret River Pro. Of course, there's another generation coming up through the Margaret River Senior High School's surfing academy, a program for talented and gifted surfers. Let's hope we see some of them in the next Margaret River Pro. (Time expired)