WA surfer Jacob Willcox frothin’ ahead of the World Surf League Margaret River Pro and looming mid-season cut

WA’s Jacob Willcox insists he is not feeling the pressure of the looming World Surf League cutline despite likely needing a quarterfinal finish, or better, to keep his place on the championship tour beyond his home event. The 10-day window for the Margaret River Pro opens on Thursday, with world tour rookie Willcox drawn to face South Africans Jordy Smith (world No.10) and Matthew McGillivray (No.14) in the opening round heats. Currently outside the top 22 who will remain on tour for the second half of the season with a ninth-place finish at Sunset in Hawaii his best result for the year, Willcox said he was feeling confident and comfortable being home in his own backyard at Main Break. “The pressure of the cut is there whether it’s the first event or the last,” Margaret River local Willcox said with a trademark grin. “Everyone knows it whether you are No.1 in the world, or you are the last seed. “I feel good, I feel like I’ve made a few decisions in close heats that have kind of let me down to be in this position but I feel like I’m fining some good competitive formula again and tapping into that.” “I feel comfortable being here at home, I’ve got no excuses why I can’t do well out here. If I do what I do and make good decisions I don’t think I’ll have too much to worry about with the cut.” A full-time member of the championship tour for the first time in 2024 after years of near misses, the 26-year-old said he would relish the opportunity to fight to keep his spot at an event he knew better than any other, having previously surfed it multiple times as a wildcard. “It’s awesome, every year I’ve wished that I’ve been on the tour and been able to compete full-time,” he said. “I’ve always been looking at other surfers in positions where they need a result to make the cut and though, ‘that’s where I want to be’ — and now I am. “Obviously I would love to be a bit higher in the rankings and not have to worry about it but that’s just the pressure of sport and that’s what makes it so exciting.” Willcox is one of three West Australians in the men’s field, alongside childhood friend and world No.5 Jack Robinson and teenage qualifier Otis North, who won his place at the trials on Sunday. North, a 17-year-old from nearby Yallingup, faces the daunting prospect of world No.1 Griffin Colapinto in his opening round heat. Colapinto is coming off back-to-back finals that shot him to the top of the rankings, including his first victory of the season in Portugal last month. The Californian also enjoys a great record in Margaret River, having been runner up last year and a quarterfinalist and semifinalist in his previous two visits. “I’d be psyched to get the win here, I really love this place and I feel like it suits my surfing,” the 25-year-old said. “I think just believing in what I’m doing . . . I’m really enjoying that and the rest just follows, believing that I am the best surfer in the world.” The first call on whether the event starts, or is put on hold to wait for better conditions, is due at 7am on Thursday.