George Pittar (AUS) and Lakey Peterson (USA) won the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, Stop No. 2 of the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), in front of a huge Sunday crowd at Main Break. For Peterson, it was her second victory at this location, while it was Pittar’s maiden win at the elite level. After a long week of stormy, onshore conditions, the Finals were contested on the last day of the 11-day window under clear blue skies on a perfect, clean, three-to-four foot waves at Margaret River’s Main Break.
This year’s Western Australia Margaret River Pro plays as the second event in the 2026 GWM Aussie Treble, which celebrates the best men’s and women’s performers across the three major events in Australia. With a runner-up finish today, Gabriel Medina (BRA) has moved into top spot on the rankings, joining Gabriela Bryan (HAW) on the women’s side. To claim the prize of a GWM Tank 300 at the end of the Gold Coast event, the pair will need another major result, with Bryan sitting on equal points as Lakey Peterson (USA), and less than 1,000 points separating Medina in first from Pittar and Miguel Pupo (BRA) in second and third, respectively.
Pittar Completes Stunning Giant-Slaying Run to Claim First CT Victory
The giant-slaying run of George Pittar (AUS) that began in his very first heat of the event continued all the way through to an inaugural CT victory for the 23-year-old from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Opening with a win over two-time World Champion Filipe Toledo (BRA), Pittar took down every single men’s World Champion currently on Tour on his road to victory, including reigning World Champion Yago Dora (BRA) and 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA), before his major victory over three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Final. Largely growing up in the island nation of Vanuatu, Pittar came from relative obscurity to qualify for the Challenger Series in his first major attempt, before quickly qualifying for the CT. Pittar put the Tour on notice with a Semifinal berth as a wildcard in Margaret River in 2024, before falling victim to the Mid-season Cut at the same location in his Rookie season in 2025. Now returning as an early front-runner in the rankings at World No. 2 following his first event win outside of junior competition, Pittar has placed himself firmly in the limelight.
“I played [‘Walking on a Dream’] the other morning. That’s what it’s felt like this week, honestly,” Pittar said. “I can’t even believe it. Those matchups I had, this comp, every one of them just felt like there was no way. And then they gifted me waves every time I was having a heat. I had three in a row where I got a wave in the last minute. It’s just crazy. Last year, I got cut here. Just before that Final, I went and sat where I sat last year when I fell off Tour, and I was like, wow, it’s kind of crazy how different the feelings are right now. And then to go out in the final against [Gabriel] Medina, who’s someone I’ve looked up to since I was a kid and such a crazy competitor, he’s just a giant in my book. To have him in the Final and then to get a couple and win it, I don’t have too many words. But just doing it in front of everyone here, I feel like everyone in W.A. has been so great to me ever since I started coming here and it’s such a special place.”
Pittar stayed patient to open the Final, with Medina posting two small scores before the Australian opened his account. The approach paid off, with Pittar holding the higher number of 6.17. A priority error from Medina was ultimately the turning point, as Pittar capitalized on the switch by immediately posting the highest single-wave score of the event, a 9.00 (out of a possible 10). Across his career so far, Pittar has proved to be in the upper echelon rail surfing in the world, a fact he made clear with a series of four sharp turns held as high and tight as possible in the wave. A stunned Medina continued attacking, but was unable to crack into the excellent range requirement that Pittar had placed on him.
“I’m shaking right now, man, that was a full dream coming up there,” Pittar continued. “I can’t believe I’m holding this flag right now. I had to [have the faith that I could win]. I can’t think I’m just another number making up the rankings anymore. I want to be on here. I want to be a competitor. I want to be at the top. To hold this flag on a special weekend for everyone, like the Anzacs. Coming down here, listening to the trumpets yesterday morning, it was shivers. I was looking at those semis yesterday, and it was just all Brazilians and me, and I was like, gotta do it. It’s so hard to win one of these comps. I can’t believe I just did it.”
Peterson Claims Seventh CT Victory With Second Margaret River Win
Lakey Peterson (USA) claimed her seventh CT event win at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, adding a second victory at the venue to her 2019 win. One of the longest-standing CT members, Peterson defeated a trio of three younger goofy-footers, Erin Brooks (CAN), Caroline Marks (USA) and Sawyer Lindblad (USA), on her road to the Final. Today’s win marked the 31-year-old’s first repeat success at a venue after topping the podium at a wide variety of locations across her 13 seasons on Tour. Admittedly being scared of the lineup at Main Break in the early part of her career, Peterson has come to love the event as one of her top-performing Tour stops.
“I can’t believe it, really. It just kind of happened this week, it all fell into place. When the ocean’s working with you, it’s a nice thing,” Peterson said. “I work really hard, we all do, it’s just nice when it pays off. I’ve been doing this a really long time, and it’s cool to prove to myself, like, I can still do this. I can still win these events. There’s a lot of chitter chatter about all the young girls, and they’re amazing, and they push me so much, but I’m still here. I love it here. It’s beautiful, it’s gorgeous. The people are amazing. They show up every single time. To win twice out here is a dream. If you would have told me that when I was 10-years-old, there’s no way I would have believed you. Any young girls or boys out there that have dreams, don’t ever give up on them because things happen in life that you don’t expect if you keep working hard.”
Peterson utilised her years of experience competing at Main Break to select prime opportunities to strike. After defeating Lindblad, the 2024 event runner-up, in the Semifinals by attacking the right with her unique blend of power and flow, Peterson opened the Final on a left. With only a small score locking in, Peterson returned to her forte, building her scoreline with each wave surfed. In the meantime, Luana Silva (BRA) posted similar but smaller scores than the Californian. Close to the five-minute mark, Silva unleashed on the biggest wave of the Final to earn its highest number, a 6.83, and claim the lead. Needing a 6.01, Peterson soon replied with an aggressive two-turn combo, with the number arriving as a 6.40 to deliver the event win.
“It was hard out there. It’s beautiful and there’s good ones, but it’s hard to find anything with a good wall,” Peterson continued. “That’s why you do it, though. Those are the moments. I knew she was going to get the score and I knew I was going to have under five minutes to get, to try again. All the glory to God, that was amazing, sent me the right wave at the right time. Huge shout out to Luana [Silva]. We train together all the time and she’s made three Finals in the last year. I just told her that her win’s coming. She’s surfing so solid and she’s such a cool person. I’m psyched though, that was so, so sick.”
Medina Reclaims No. 1 Ranking With Yellow Jersey in Powerful Return to Tour
The return of Gabriel Medina (BRA) to the CT following a year away due to injury has seen the kick-off to his 13th season as one of his strongest yet. Prior to competition starting in 2026, the 32-year-old announced a number change on his jersey from 10 to 1, making his intentions clear. Following his 33rd CT Final, and for the first time since his last World Title victory in 2021, Medina is No. 1 in the world. The three-time World Champion will once again wear the Yellow Leaders Jersey when the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM begins on May 1.
“I just want to thank God for the opportunity; it’s been amazing,” Medina said. “I’ve been enjoying my ride. Last year was a tough one to stay away from surf competitions, and I’m finally back. I feel good to put a jersey and go out there and do my best. It’s been so good here. I’ve been going to the wineries, been surfing around, just enjoying, having a good time. I was a little scared before Bells because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was so worried, but now I feel good. I’m happy with the Yellow Jersey. It’s been a long time, I miss it. It was with one of my best friends, Miguel [Pupo], just before, so I’ll take it, thanks, Mig. It’s just a jersey, I feel like I have to work more. The year is just beginning, so let’s do it.”
Silva Continues Rapid Rise With Runner-Up Finish at Margaret River
Luana Silva (BRA) furthered her best start to a season yet with the third CT runner-up finish of her career. The 21-year-old has bettered her rankings across each of her three prior years on Tour, placing in the Top 10 for the first time in 2025. Since making her first CT Finals Day with a Quarterfinal finish at Sunset Beach in her Rookie season, Silva has continued to refine her powerful approach in heavy waves to now be considered amongst the best on Tour. The Brazilian has defeated all three of Australia’s World Champions currently on Tour across the two events so far in the 2026 season, proving herself to be a contender in this year’s World Title race.
“It’s been an incredible start to the year,” Silva said. “I couldn’t thank Leandro [Dora] and Penguin [Henrique Pinguim], that I have by my side this year, enough. I wanted to go one more so bad, but if it wasn’t me, it had to be Lakey [Peterson]. She shares Leandro with me. We work together, she’s my sparring partner. It’s a full circle moment. I used to watch Lakey’s movie, ‘Zero to 100’ on Netflix, and Nike ‘Leave a Message’. Her and Carissa [Moore]’s parts were my favorite in the movie. I’m really happy for her. I’m really stoked with my performance, and I’m really excited for this next year.”
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Final Results
1. George Pittar (AUS) 15.17
2. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.46
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Final Results
1. Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.23
2. Luana Silva (BRA) 11.83
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Men’s Semifinal Results
HEAT 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.77 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 13.34
HEAT 2: George Pittar (AUS) 13.16 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.16
Western Australia Margaret River Pro Women’s Semifinal Results
HEAT 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.50 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 9.50
HEAT 2: Luana Silva (BRA) 14.27 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 13.66
Next Up: Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM
The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM, Stop No. 3 of the 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), will hold a competition window from May 1 – 11. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Also, check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro ran at Main Break, Margaret River from April 16 – 26, 2026.
The Western Australia Margaret River Pro is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, Shire of Augusta Margaret River, I-SEA, Red Bull, Surfline, True Surf, YETI, Florence Marine X, Surfboard Empire, Hydralyte, Bonsoy, Boost Mobile, Stone & Wood, Bioglan, Bond University, Fatboy Bikes, GWM, YETI, eero, Relationships Australia, Spudshed.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.