Local champ notches another big win

Margaret River’s sole representative on the world championship tour has scored a major career boost, claiming victory at the Newcastle Surfest in NSW.

Gracetown’s Bronte Macaulay came out tops at the Women’s Pro, a World Surf League qualifying event at Merewether Beach at the weekend.

In an all-Australian final, the WA surfer took down fellow Championship Tour competitor Macy Callaghan for her first competition of 2020.

Using her strong backhand technique to post multiple six-point rides, the current World Number 12 scored a combined total of 12.80 in shifty beach break conditions.

A Surfest junior champion in 2014, Macaulay looked comfortable all week, posting the second-highest heat total with a 17.40 in round four.

She remained composed in the punchy head-high right-hand breaks throughout the 35-minute final, leading from start to finish to claim the equal-best result of her career. “I’ve only won one QS before, so it’s nice to get a second one under the belt,” she said.

“We’ve had two months off, so it’s hard to know where you’re at compared to everyone else, to make sure your boards are good and you’re surfing good, so I’m just really happy.“It’s the first event of the year so to take a win, I’m just stoked.”

Macaulay said 2020 was her year for some “big results” on the championship tour.