Locals get a leg up to Pro

Six of Yallingup’s future surfing stars have been given a leg up into next fortnight’s Margaret River Pro.

Mikaela Greene, Eliza Greene, Claire Bevilacqua, Holly Robinson, Jake Peterson and Jay Davies were handed automatic entries into the event’s international trials event by Surfing WA in an effort to promote the development of the sport in WA.

The local contingent will be joined by Margaret River’s Tom Innes, Jerome Forest, Creed McTaggart, Jack Robinson and Bronte and Laura Macaulay, Geraldton’s Max Marsden, Carnarvon’s Alex Durant, Mandurah’s Ryan Wordsworth and Carnarvon’s Alex Durant.

Margaret River Pro media manager Jason Dover said Surfing WA wanted to give the youngsters an opportunity to shine at WA’s top surfing event.

“The trials present a rare opportunity for WA’s up-andcoming surfing talent to take on the world’s premier surfers in front of their home crowd, with the Margaret River Pro event being granted World Championship Tour status for the women in 2013 and for both the men and women from 2014 onwards,” Dover said.

Female trial competitors would have the chance to earn a spot in Margaret River’s first world championship tour event while male hopefuls could take on reigning Association of Surfing Professionals world champion Joel Parkinson, he said.

In a further boost for the elite surfing contest, Hawaiian John John Florence and fellow American Courtney Conlogue will be back to defend their Pro titles.

Current world number one female Stephanie Gilmore, a five-time winner of the women’s world crown, will also compete after her induction as the 35th member of the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.