Although neither of them made the podium, it was a great last weekend in Ericeira, Portugal for Aussies Sally Fitzgibbons and Jacob Willcox, confirming their spots on the WSL championship tour for 2024 with strong performances in the Vissla Pro.
An emotional Sally, who has led the Challenger Series rankings for most of the season, shed a tear when being interviewed after receiving official notification that she had made the cut, shortly after being bundled out of the event in fifth place by Brazil’s Luana Silva.
Although 2024 will be her 16th season on the world tour, it hasn’t been an easy road for the perennial number two (three years in a row early in her career) from Gerroa on the NSW south coast, in recent years having to fight to regain her WCT place.
And while she hasn’t won an event on the Challenger Series this year, the 32-year-old has been a model of consistency, with two seconds, a third and two fifths from the five events held so far.
Meanwhile, for Jacob Willcox, the big lad from Margaret River, qualification for the championship tour seemed to come easily as he cruised through the event honing his casual but powerful backhand attack, and was secured before meeting a rampaging Jake Marshall (USA) in the quarters.
But even when Marshall posted a near perfect 9.57 in the opening moments, Willcox clawed his way back into the heat and came close to taking it.
Now, both Sally and Jacob head into this weekend’s final event of the Challenger Series, at Saquarema, Brazil, with their next season secure and nothing to lose by going all out.
Although until Sunday the most interesting aspect of the Vissla Pro had been the gorgeous backdrop of the mountains that frame the Ericeira coast in a particularly beautiful part of Portugal, finals day really did produce the goods. In fact, after initial misgivings, I’ve become a huge fan of the Challenger Series format, where the almost-best surfers in the world fight like dogs to make the big money tour.
Surprisingly, however, while this produces elements of gamesmanship, what it also consistently produces is a brilliant level of performance from surfers who are putting their future careers on the line in make-or-break situations.
You could argue that the qualifying series has always done that, but mostly in third-rate car park locations, whereas the “elite” qualifier has enjoyed some of the best waves seen in WSL competition this year, and finals day at Ribeira D’Ilhas, Ericeira, was right up there with the best.
In the men’s Brazilian young gun Mateus Herdy was electrifying with a seamless forehand approach until taken down by Jake Marshall in the semis, setting the stage for a brilliant final between two former WCT surfers who have had to struggle back up the line for a chance to get on the main stage – Marshall and Brazil’s Deivid Silva.
Neither of these great surfers disgraced themselves in their time on the championship tour, but at the Ericeira final they were both on fire.
Silva, whose smooth, fast backside surfing had produced a near perfect heat of 19.03 (highest of the event) in the semis, prevailed over Marshall with two high eights in the final, but it was a tense, exciting battle in waves that had doubled in size since the morning.
The win saw Silva rocket up the rankings 20 places to fifth, while Marshall moved up 12 to third place and near-certain requalification.
In the women’s division Luana Silva took out the last Aussie in the draw, India Robinson, in a hard-fought semi, but the often under-rated Californian Alyssa Spencer proved too good for her in the final. In fact Spencer’s lip-smashing backhand made her arguably the strongest competitor of the event, posting seven excellent scores (above eight points out of 10), including three consecutive heat totals above 16 points in the quarters, semis and final, an incredible performance on a long Sunday in pumping waves.
“This year has been so hard, all of these girls are surfing amazingly and the level is the highest it’s ever been,” an emotional Alyssa told the WSL. “This is the greatest confidence boost I could ask for and it puts me in a great spot heading to Saquarema.”
Spencer goes to Brazil in fourth place, with five women to make the cut for the 2024 WCT. For the Australians, Sally Fitz still has a commanding lead over the field with India Robinson now in second, and Sunny Coaster Isabella Nichols dropping back to fifth.
WA’s Bronte Macaulay finds herself just out of the cut at seventh, needing a big result in Brazil.
In the men’s, where 10 qualify, USA’s Cole Houshmand holds a big lead over Jacob Willcox, with both already qualified.
Our next best are Jackson Baker at 11 and Morgan Cibilic at 14, both needing a huge result in Brazil to get them over the line.
FOOTNOTE: As a former member and regular competitor in the Noosa Malibu Club’s monthly club comps, I can attest that the second-best thing about them – after winning your heat – is the breakfast barbie! I’m salivating now just remembering all that juicy bacon and sausages jammed between two slices of bread. Well, thanks to IGA and Cr Amelia Lorentson, the club barbies are now sponsored for a generous food package by the surfers’ favourite supermarket. Ravenous groms and old salts need worry no more.
