2024 was a peak year for Margaret River surfers on the world stage

The year 2024 will go down as one of the most significant in recent memory for Capes surfers.

The headline act was Margaret River prodigy Jack Robinson representing Australia at the Olympics, but there were numerous other moments of significance — as well as a rising trend of strong female junior performances, promising something special in the years ahead.

Robinson was crowned Australian male surfer of the year earlier this month after winning Surfing WA’s State-based award for the same title after his silver medal-winning performance at the Olympics based in Tahiti.

There, Robinson and his teammates — including female surfer of the year Molly Picklum — took on the World Surf League’s best after Championship Tour competitors suited up for their individual countries for a challenge with a difference.

In 2024, the WSL also finally welcomed Jacob Willcox back to the CT alongside perennial bridesmaid Bronte Macaulay.

However, it was in the up-and-coming juniors field that 2024 held some of the most special highlights, most dominant of them all being Margaret River Senior High School snatching its 19th annual schools title for the State.

That success — which in 2025 will see the champion school go for its 20th title straight — was replicated in last month’s Australian Junior Surfing Titles in Wollongong, NSW, where MRSHS surfers scored in three of the four Mark Richards Shield divisions, astonishing their coach and teacher Mark Meyer.

Mr Meyer earlier this year told the Times the future of the strong school surfing competition could be challenged as more and more of the region’s ultra-competitive surfers opted for homeschooling so they and their families could focus on potential careers.

That said, although other WA school surf programs were finally starting to catch up to Margaret River, Mr Meyer said the strength coming through at the lower levels, as well as the high-ranking dominance of young women’s divisions, should set the school on an even keel for the immediate future.

While it was difficult to single out just a handful of the female talent that shone this year, notable wins made the first selections easy.

Budding pro surfer Willow Hardy and Margaret River firebrand Ruby Berry made headlines throughout the year, and not just for their December naming in Surfing Australia’s online She’s Electric competition.

Willow scooped the top female win at the World Surf League-backed Peel Pro in November, as well as competing in the final of the sister event held in Yallingup.

Younger Hardy sister Olive claimed bragging rights of her own by taking the under-16 girls’ crown at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles at the start of December.

Among Berry’s achievements for the year were being crowned WA’s under-18 female champion, winning the prestigious Rip Curl GromSearch over east, and surfing for the Yallingup Boardriders in their Battle win at Trigg.

Meanwhile, the region as far afield as Dunsborough boasted a strong cohort of older teenage male surfers, many of whom were eyeing the transition to professional competition.

With WSL increasing its investment in the drawcard Margaret River Pro through other feed-in surfing competitions, and Surfing WA continuing to advocate for juniors and the region in the sport, it also looked like the future would herald more competitions, workshops and training camps to develop the State’s talent.