Margaret River Pro Guaranteed Spot on Tour For 3 More Years

The WSL and Tourism Western Australia came to an agreement with the State Government, confirming Margaret River’s spot on the Championship Tour. The sponsorship agreement between the involved parties promises Margaret River’s got a slot as the contest site up until 2024.

While this information might sit well with 2017 and 2019 Margies champ John John Florence, Kolohe Andino just threw his phone across the room. If you don’t’ recall, JJF beat Andino in the 2017 final. History then repeated itself in 2019, with Kolohe losing to Florence again in the final.

Watching John John go berzerk on massive walls isn’t the only benefit of holding a contest at the famous West Oz break. The Margaret River Pro is a big tourism driver and does a solid job funneling money into the local economy.

According to a media statement from the Government of West Australia:

The Margaret River Pro has been held in Margaret River in various forms since 1985 and supported by the State Government since 1999. The latest three-year deal locks in some major ongoing benefits for the South-West region.

The surf competition is a proven visitor drawcard for the area, with the 2019 event attracting around 35,000 spectators and around 5,000 visitors from outside the South-West region. 

The event also provides welcome support for tourism and local businesses and is estimated to inject around $6 million a year into the local economy.

From a spectator standpoint, I’m enlightened by this news. Margies produces a variety of waves, each set more unorthodox than the previous. The massive misshaped sections leave competitors with no other option than to put the board on rail, as the surf gods intended. Who knows? Maybe Florence will let Brother win the next one.