WA Surf Masters in Margaret River this weekend as Finn Cox and Claire Bevilacqua return

The WA Surf Masters Championships comes to Margaret River’s Gas Bay on Friday as part of a three-day challenge for some of the State’s best surfers.

The warm-up to the Australian Surfing Championships will see last year’s winners Finn Cox and Claire Bevilacqua defend their Open titles from last year.

Also striving to impress the judges will be firebrands including female guns Olive Hardy, Mia McCarthy and Emma Cattlin, while the males will be led by Dunsborough’s Maverick Wilson and Yallingup’s Otis North.

Organisers said the Surf Masters was a “gateway” event for competitors to snatch a spot among the nation’s best, with the finalists from 12 divisions to represent WA over east later this year.

But the masters is also a stepping stone to April’s Margaret River Pro, utilised as a testing ground for coveted wildcard entries.

“It’s going to be really cool to see multiple generations of WA surfers competing alongside each other,” Surfing WA events manager Justin Majeks said.

“This event will bring together WA surfing pioneers, as well as the young talent that will push our sport forward long into the future.

“With a forecast that promises challenging conditions and pulse-pounding waves, the stage is set for an unforgettable spectacle, with Gas Bay the likely event location across the three days of competition.”

Divisions range from under-21s to the elite over-65s category.