[Cibilic] We're back. Is it rolling? Are we rolling?
[director] Yeah, we're rolling.
My name is Morgan Cibilic.
Uh, I'm professional surfer and, uh, yeah,
I got fifth on the rankings last year. So, yeah.
[audience chattering]
-[audience cheering] -[commentator 1] How did he do that?
Are you kidding me?
[spectator] Whoo-hoo!
It still feels crazy surreal that I did so well.
[audience cheering]
[Turpel] Morgan Cibilic is the best Australian
on tour right now, period.
[Hughes] Morgan came in as the total unknown,
and suddenly he walked away as one of the best five surfers on the planet.
Well done, mate. [chuckles]
-Sick heat, mate. Hey. -[Kennedy] Last year, we saw the emergence
of two young, fierce Australian rookies,
Morgan Cibilic and Jack Robinson.
[Turpel] Going to the air.
[audience cheering]
And the rookie from WA has just won
his first championship tour event.
[Kennedy] Last year, Jack won his first event in Mexico.
Winning an event, that puts you in a whole nother realm.
[Robinson] It was pretty cool.
Like, not many guys can win an event in their first year.
It hasn't happened in a very long time.
[Miley-Dyer] But this season,
people are looking at Morgs and Jack Robbo,
and they're like, "Well, when are you gonna win a World Title?"
[Robinson] There's a little right rip bowl.
[Cibilic] Do you reckon? Those waves. I might go get ready.
[Thompson] Let's do it. Surf no matter what, hey?
[Hughes] Now, they're into their second season.
They need to prove that they have what it takes
to be a mainstay on the championship tour.
[Thompson] Morgan Balboa. [laughs]
[Hughes] That it wasn't just a fluke in that rookie season,
but they really deserve to have their name in the sand.
Ready, boss.
Pumping, hey?
We've seen a lot of surfers have a really good first rookie year,
and then the second year rolls in
and it's like, "Actually, I've gotta back this up."
[Cibilic] I don't know why people crumble
their second year,
but hopefully, that-- that's not me. [chuckles]
[Julia] Make acai?
[Robinson] Um, yeah. Do a little acai. Mmm.
Oh, not the avocado.
[Julia]
[Robinson] Last year was really interesting,
like, it wasn't an easy season.
I almost fell off the championship tour.
I had to come through heaps of things, with, you know, Dad.
He's always asking me, you know,
"Who have you got around you?
Why can't I come to the next event?"
Because he always used to be a part of it.
But I just asked him to stay away.
So then, basically, this year,
I'm just doing my own thing and I'm only having certain people around.
Tastes a bit weird in the smoothie though.
-No, it doesn't. -Okay.
When I met Jack, I was very young.
I was, like, 19, I think. And he was 20.
So, I feel like we have been growing so much
and getting more mature with everything together.
So, I see him changing all the time.
Yeah. Good.
It's crazy because he's only been on tour for barely two years.
But I feel like, from last year to this year, he's--
Has a completely different mind-set.
He's in the zone.
Eats really healthy.
He's more Zen.
He's 100% man now. [chuckles]
You can have the big one and then I'll have the cup.
You want that? Okay.
[Robinson] After the breakthrough win in Mexico,
you wanna win way more.
It's your first win, and, yeah, you get addicted to it.
But there's a lot of crazy talents on tour.
So, it's like, "Fuck, we gotta make sure I'm ready to go."
[people at event chattering]
[Cibilic] Do you want a drink?
[people chattering]
[podcaster 1] Uh, let's get our next guest up.
[podcaster 2] He's done Australia proud.
Put your hands together for Morgan "Morgball" Cibilic!
[audience cheering, whistling]
[audience cheering continues]
[mouthing words] Hey! Morgan!
Thanks. Um, there's a crazy crowd out there,
so thanks everybody for coming down.
-And, uh, yeah. -[audience member 1] Yeah! Yeah.
Morgs, uh, how much has your life changed in these last two years?
You're a full-blown celeb.
[Cibilic] Yeah. You obviously get a lot more endorsements and sponsorships.
And once you do well, life's a lot easier. Put it that way.
[chuckles] Every-- Yeah, people start giving you stuff and yeah.
-[chuckles] I'm liking it. [laughs] -[audience laughs]
You go from washing dishes at The Prince to looking at property
and all that kind of stuff.
-So it's incre-- -[audience laughing, cheering]
-[podcaster 2] You've made it, eh? -Yep. [laughs]
[podcaster 1] Made it.
Last season, 90% of the surfing industry were like, "Who is this kid?"
Where, this year, people wanted to get to know him.
People were just-- were grabbing at him.
[podcaster 1] Mate, just talk us through the year.
Um, yeah, this year hasn't gone too-- [stammers] too well to plan,
and, um, I felt like I'd be able to get the results a lot easier.
Yeah, last year I definitely wanted to rip some heads off,
and, yeah, so I'm gonna try channel that for the next few events,
and show 'em a bit of Aussie mongrel,
so hopefully, it changes. That's it, mate.
Stop looking at property
and start sharing cars and sleeping in board bags.
[audience laughing] Go back to the ye olden times.
[Fanning] Watching Morgs on the stage, it seemed like he was enjoying it.
Have a good one. [chuckling] Yeah.
[Fanning] And going into that second season,
when you've got a million people blowing smoke up your arse,
it's really hard to focus.
-Um, so this will be Channel Nine. -Okay.
Hey. How's it going?
[Fanning] With Jack, I think he's had that pressure before.
My name's Jack Robinson from Margaret River, Western Australia.
[Slater] Jack's had a lot of press and notoriety
and marketing and branding and stuff from a young age.
So, he's used to it.
I don't think he has the bright lights
in his eyes kind of blinding him, you know?
Jack's like a veteran. Let's be honest.
He's-- He's super comfortable in the spotlight.
Let's just go out and surf, and I think everyone will enjoy it.
Yeah. No worries. Thanks, mate.
Appreciate it. Nice to see you again. Yeah, nice to see you.
[Robinson] Too easy, mate.
[Turpel] We got some really, uh,
special human beings and surfers up here on stage with me.
Some locals. Jack Robinson. [audience cheering]
When was the last time you were home?
Ten months ago.
Wow. Must feel incredible.
Yeah. Yeah, it's, uh, such a special place. I don't know.
It-- Uh, just good to be home,
and I wanna put on a good show for everyone here.
[Robinson] There's so much talk and so much hype.
When you keep hearing it all the time,
it kinda sticks in your head a lot.
I had it when I was a kid
and I sorta got caught on it a bit.
But you can't get hooked on it.
You gotta learn how to deal with the hype.
You have to keep your head together.
-It's the biggest thing. -Right.
-Got it? -You've gotta put everything to the side.
-You've gotta go do the job. -Okay.
All right. Ready to go.
[Hodge] Going into Margaret River,
the stakes for Jack and Morgs are completely different.
Jack has a lot of work to do
to make a run for that final five spot.
Morgan is 28th on the rankings.
He's gotta climb up a considerable number
of places to save his spot on the "champship" tour.
[announcer] Good morning from the South West of WA.
We are here for stop number five, the Margaret River Pro.
[Cibilic] Morning.
[commentator] You can count on Margaret River to deliver.
And it delivers in a big way.
Look how big these waves are.
Holy fuck!
Epic.
Crazy.
[Turpel] A lot of challenges for the surfers
that need to survive the mid-season cut.
[announcer] Matty McGillivray, Morgan Cibilic,
and Owen Wright are all very close to that cut line.
[announcer] This is pressure like we've never seen before on the tour.
[Kennedy] For a lot of surfers,
Margaret River is potentially the moment
and the event that will define their careers.
It's huge.
[Hodge] Yeah, the mid-season cut is brutal.
It's so ruthless just knowing that, come the end of Margaret River
if you're not in that top 22 picture, you're off tour.
[Owen] How are youse?
Good luck. Not like you'll need it.
[commentator] The swell has really kicked in.
It's huge. It's gigantic out there.
You know, this is why we come to Margaret River,
because it is so challenging.
-[spectator 1] Oh, my God. -[spectator 2] Wow.
[Turpel] It's time for the opening round of competition.
Every surfer takes part.
The whole goal here is to avoid the elimination round.
The top two will get to go right into the round of 32.
Coming up next,
it'll be Griffin Colapinto
takes on Jack Robinson and Frederico Morais.
[Robinson] Some guys listen to hip-hop music
before going out to surf a heat.
But being quiet and having a quiet mind,
and just finding the little things that work for me.
You see martial artists do it. You're calm when you're a martial artist.
You're going out there, you're ready to go out the cage and just let loose too.
[Guerrero] Half-hour heats.
Three surfers out in the water. Top two advance.
[Turpel] Griffin. A lot of foam on the face down,
but he's got a ton of speed to burn.
Flows right into a finishing move.
Also getting involved is Frederico Morais.
[commentator] Solid finish there.
Robbo having a look right now on this one. Puts the foot down.
-Whoa! -[spectator 1] Whoa!
[commentator] That one didn't work out for him.
[Turpel] Morais did take the lead.
Griffin is second. Jack to third.
[Turpel] The local boy needs a 5.57 to avoid the elimination round.
As we see a bigger wall out the back,
Colapinto crushes the first section.
-Bottom turn to an impressive finish. -[audience cheering]
Griffin, waiting for his last score to come through.
Jack's not gonna wait for it. He'll take this wave.
Staying on his feet for an impressive finishing move.
Whoo!
[commentator] That's his best wave for sure.
[commentator] Jack Robinson, uh, has moved into second place.
So, Griffin's safe. He's, uh-- He's way out in front.
It's a battle between second and third here.
This could be interesting.
What is the young West Australian gonna do on this one?
[Turpel] Big committed section there.
Back into the open face.
Robinson goes down hard.
[commentator] Here's Frederico now.
[Turpel] Trying to save himself.
Needs a 5.55.
Deep off the bottom with a clean top turn.
[commentator] It's a smaller wave, but he surfed it well.
[horn honking]
[Turpel] And now we will run out of time.
[Ahrendt] Let's go.
It's your call.
[Turpel] Waiting for scores
to see who will be going to the round of 32
and who will be heading into the elimination round.
[sighs]
[Turpel] Scores are coming in for Frederico Morais, it is not enough.
Jack Robinson to stay in second.
[announcer] Robinson has done just enough to squeeze through.
[Turpel] Jack Robinson moving on into the next round
but didn't put on the performance he was hoping for.
[Robinson] Going for top five,
to be there at the end of the year.
You wanna be in that top part of the contest every time.
I don't want anything less than those results.
So, just getting past the early heat isn't good enough.
[commentator] All right. We're rolling on into Caio Ibelli, Connor O'Leary
and Morgan Cibilic are in action.
[announcer] The young fella's got some work to do.
[Kennedy] With Morgan's season so far, he's lacked rhythm.
He's lacked confidence.
But hopefully, he's gonna,
like, click into place, because he has been there.
He knows what it is to be in the top five and that's the advantage.
But he's just gotta find that zone.
[spectator 1] Go, Morgan!
[spectator 2] Let's go, Morgy. Whoo! Give us your best shot.
Let's see it. Let's see it. Whoo-hoo!
[Cibilic] This year, I feel like I gotta prove myself a lot more.
I don't mind clawing myself out of a hole.
Yeah, that's exactly where I am now, so I'm gonna just give it all I got.
[Hughes] Connor O'Leary.
[commentator] Just having to drive through all that foamy,
turbulent water under his board, keeps control.
-Exceptional wave there, in my opinion. -[spectators cheering]
He's-- He looks like he's ready to go.
[Hughes] As we see, Caio Ibelli goes down on the lip of that first big turn.
[commentator] Morgan's opening ride here.
Great turn to start things off.
And oh, just throws everything at it.
Fuck.
[spectators cheering]
[commentator] Connor O'Leary just set the bench high
at the start of this heat.
[Hughes] Morgan Cibilic into a big, open face carve.
[Thompson] Finish it!
[Hughes] Now, lining it up and finds a finish.
[Thompson]
[Hughes] Morgan Cibilic sitting in second.
He'd like to improve on that 5.50,
just to make sure he is safe to avoid the elimination round.
[Thompson] Go, Morgs! Go! Go, go, go!
[Hughes] Huge takeoff for Cibilic.
[commentator groans] Finally gets some work done down the end section.
Gets the carve.
[Hughes] He's gonna ride out clean,
but just get the single maneuver.
[groans] Jesus.
[commentator] He's not out of trouble here,
with-with Caio only needing that 5.54.
[Hughes] Caio Ibelli with an opportunity in front of him.
[commentator] Smashes that end section.
And he can't ride out.
So, we are going to conclude this heat in five, four,
three, two, one.
[spectator 1] Okay. Take it. Yeah.
[spectators cheering]
[Hughes] Morgan Cibilic struggled,
but is through into the round of 32.
Still with a chance to make that mid-season cut.
[Fennell] Well done, hon. Well done.
I think the challenge for Morgan Cibilic is that his fame
is hinged upon his performance on the championship tour.
With his new life, might feel good,
but it's not necessarily secure yet.
Does he fear that all of a sudden, this fame could disappear
and that additional pressure could affect his performance?
Thank you.
[Turpel] We're here at the Margaret River Pro.
The contest is called off for the day. It's really small.
We'll be back down here in the morning for the call.
[person] Morgan, we've gone two from two on the Airbnb booking.
Portugal was good and he's one-upped himself here somehow.
[McGillivray] Yeah. We've come a long way since UE last year.
-Here we go. -[Cibilic] Yeah.
Matty "requal-ed." He got the call-up.
[Mcgillivray] Yeah, we're styling now.
The end of last year was a complete whirlwind.
I found out, after Mexico, that I was one spot short of requalifying.
It was a, like, tough one to process.
But I got a call-up saying
that they had given me the first alternate spot for this year.
Yago Dora injured himself in December training,
so I still had a job.
I was still on the Championship Tour.
It feels good to be back together.
Bottie's out there, grinding.
He said he's working out
and he just sits out there on his arse the whole time.
And then claims, "Oh, yeah. Feeling a bit stiff today." No, you're not.
-[McGillivray] Bottie! -[Cibilic] He's training his chin.
That's why that thing's so big.
[McGillivray] That's not your bedroom, Bottie.
You got your own room this time.
-[chuckles] -I got more than one room.
I got beds to choose from these days.
Look at this. Hey?
[doorbell rings]
-[photographer 1] How you, brother? -[Cibilic] Good. How are you?
What's happening?
I reckon just here. It's kind of perfect. Yeah.
Just, like, super casual. Yeah. Good one. Yeah.
[chuckles] Just-
This might be hard, but just act normal. [chuckles]
[Cibilic] Just being in the spotlight's been massive.
And the winner is Morgan Cibilic!
[Cibilic] So many eyes on you all the time.
It was an amazing journey, and, yeah,
I couldn't have done it without-without my, um, family, sponsors.
I'm not the underdog I was.
It's different now.
'Cause the pressure of not doing well, you-you lose a lot more.
Is that good enough?
[photographer 1] Yeah. That's it.
[Cibilic] I've got one contract
that's like, if I fall off halfway through the year,
then you get a massive cut.
My whole life's, like, completely taken a turn,
and I don't wanna go back to how it was.
-[photographer 1] Awesome. Thanks, Morgs. -See youse.
I really would love to get a quarterfinal finish at this event.
That would be a massive, uh, achievement.
I think that, if I got that, I'd requalify.
Is it all right? Yeah, it's good.
There's a bit of green stuff in my food, but it's okay. I'll eat it. [chuckles]
[McGillivray] I wish I had a couple more South African buddies,
but Morgan's become like a brother to me over these few years traveling together.
Just going through all the trials and tribulations together.
And we are both down below that mid-year cut line,
so we want the best for each other.
That's not bad. Good job, Morgs. Thank you.
[Cibilic] Me and Matty both have some good juju in West Oz.
And he got third there last year and I surfed a couple
of pretty good heats, which I was stoked on.
So hopefully, both of us, we're gonna get through
and I just wanna prove to myself
and to everyone that I can do it again and that it wasn't just a fluke.
Australian storm's coming in strong.
And our adopted little biltong eater.
Yep, the South African sprinkle's right behind.
[laughs]
Whoa!
-[Weston-Webb] It's so hot in here. -It's hot.
[Weston-Webb] So hot. It's literally the hottest it's been.
[Robinson] You know what? We should make it more moisture.
[steaming]
-That's so hot right now. [chuckles] -You're a crazy person.
[Weston-Webb squeals] I'm dying. I can't.
Nuh-uh. It's fine.
[Weston-Webb] Oh, yes. [sighs]
So, are you nervous for the cut at all?
[Robinson] I'm just not really in my head right now.
I have a- I have a view on where I'm going
and-- and there's just no fear right now.
So, that's good. Good.
The main thing is I'm ready to go. And keeping my head good.
I think that's the main thing, is just what's going on up here. I'm good.
[Weston-Webb] Jack, I'm dying. [chuckling]
-Dude, it's 70 degrees Celsius right now. -[Robinson] Whoa!
No, we're chilling.
[Weston-Webb] All right. [sighs] It's been good vibing.
[Robinson] With the mid-season cut coming up,
there's a lot of emotion around the event.
I just stay away from it. I'm on a different mission, you know?
I wanna start thinking about this next half of the year,
as in going top five. You know what I mean?
That's the next goal.
I gotta make sure I'm gaining momentum.
And it'd be good to start at home.
[spectators cheering]
[announcer] Welcome back to the Margaret River Pro.
As you can see, our competitors getting set.
[Turpel] A lot to look forward to in the round of 32.
The local boy, Jack Robinson,
looking incredibly powerful on his home break.
-Whoa! [laughs] -[spectators chattering]
[announcer] He's moving on into the next round.
[Turpel] He's got a lotta support here at WA.
[Hughes] And now, another surfer with that big question in front of him,
Matthew McGillivray up against Kanoa Igarashi.
As we see, Matt McGillivray chasing a big score with a steep takeoff.
Near air drop.
-And he goes up for a huge hit! -[Turpel] Whoa!
[spectators cheering]
[Hughes] He pulls it off!
Whoo!
[Hughes] And he is through into the round of 16.
-A huge performance. -[Thompson] Whoa!
[Turpel] Coming up next, Morgan Cibilic verse Callum Robson.
Morgan Cibilic in a must-win situation.
If he loses this heat he's off the Championship Tour.
[Cibilic] Straight into the deep end of being able to fall off tour,
four months into the year, is just, like, a pretty tough pill to swallow.
I'd love to get back up there with my boys
and have a good full year on tour.
[commentator] Callum Robson and Morgan Cibilic are in the gates.
Under ten seconds from start.
We are kicking you guys off in five, four, three, two, one.
[Turpel] Callum's starting this heat with a lot of confidence.
Driving hard off the bottom.
[spectators cheering]
And an aggressive start for Callum Robson.
To put pressure on Morgan Cibilic.
Come on, boy. Attack this section.
[announcer] Here's Morgan now.
[Turpel] Nice top turn for Cibilic.
[Thompson groans]
[Turpel] Little speed bump off the bottom.
Recovers well with another beautiful carve.
Big climb. Cibilic hangs on.
Patience paying off. A fantastic start.
[whistles]
[Ahrendt] If you're happy with your scores, then okay. Let's go.
[Turpel] So, a 7.20. The best score of the heat so far.
Just needs a 4.3 for the lead.
Come on, Morgs.
[Turpel] And we'll have more waves on the way. Cibilic.
Nice arc to start for Morgs.
[Thompson groans]
[Turpel] Disappears in that foam.
-[groans] -[McGillivray groans]
[commentator] Fifty seconds.
[Cibilic] Just gotta go back to my roots,
which is just going for it and attacking and going big.
Just got to put it all on the line.
[Kennedy] This is it for Morgan Cibilic, I feel.
He's got to do it now.
[Turpel] Cibilic draws a big first turn.
[Kennedy] There was absolutely nowhere to go.
He got mowed down.
[Thompson groans]
[Turpel] Cibilic has not made the cut.
This will be a tough blow for Morgan.
[Fletcher]
[Cibilic] Oh, well.
Good fight.
[Cibilic] Should have made that last one.
Well, you surfed so good, dude.
[Fennell] Proud of you. Yeah. It's really good learning.
[Cibilic groans]
[Thompson] When an athlete comes out of the water, that just lost,
it's definitely the hardest part of, um, coaching.
You know, it hurts big time,
but you learn a hell of a lot more
about yourself when you lose than when you win.
[Fanning] Morgan's season this year, something changed in him.
In his first year, he was super hungry, but yeah, this second season,
you could see something in his eyes that just wasn't there.
That killer wasn't there anymore.
It was more like holding on for survival.
[Robinson] I mean, Morgs is such a good surfer.
But... [sighs] ...I don't know. It's--
It's a different year, man.
Like, I wish I was in that top five last year,
but sometimes when you rise super quick maybe you can fall quick too.
[Cibilic] Definitely, a tough one to swallow.
Um, yeah, just unfortunate that, uh, we got the mid-year cut at the moment.
But it is what it is.
My second year definitely hasn't played out how I was expecting.
Last year, I just had nothing to lose.
And then this year,
I've been just feeling that different kind of pressure.
The spotlight's been like a crazy change,
and I think, yeah, that was my downfall.
Come here, babe.
I love you.
[spectators cheering]
[Turpel] Round of 16 is starting next.
[Turpel] The local boy, Jack Robinson
putting on a clinic here on his home break.
[commentator] Marching through the rounds just with really, really solid surfing.
[spectator 1] Yeah, Jack.
[Turpel] Coming up next, big heat for Matthew McGillivray.
He takes on Sammy Pupo.
He's in a must-win situation to make the cut.
[Thompson]
Yeah.
Go well. Enjoy.
[announcer] 'Course, Sammy Pupo is surfing so well.
This young guy has got a big future in this sport.
[McGillivray] Up against Sammy Pupo.
Uh, he's been such an impressive rookie this year on tour.
Gonna be a tough matchup.
[Thompson] Matty's learning. He's maturing as an athlete.
Feels different seeing the, like, mentality.
So focused. He's really hungry to progress.
[Hughes] Matt McGillivray, should he advance through this heat,
he makes the mid-season cut.
If not, it goes to Owen Wright.
[commentator] A massive heat right now.
[McGillivray] My job is on the line.
I've gotta fight for this with my life.
[announcer] Here's Matty now, surfing for his career.
[Hughes] Driving in for that first turn.
And now looking to gain some speed, and really put it on the line.
[announcer] Beautiful wave from Matty McGillivray.
[Hughes] With a 7.0.
-Yeah. -Yes.
[whistles]
[Hughes] Samuel Pupo now gaining speed.
He's gonna charge this finishing section.
Slides that tail out.
[announcer] 6.07 for Sammy Pupo.
[Hughes] So, a couple of very close scores
for the opening exchanges.
[announcer] We knew it was gonna go blow-for-blow.
[McGillivray] It can mess with your head if you're putting too much pressure
on yourself thinking about placings and points.
Just try getting into a good zone
and then switching off from the world.
[Hughes] And now Matthew with a great open-faced carve.
Links it up for a second.
Now goes vertical.
[announcer] It was beautiful.
-[Cibilic] Yeah! Whoo! -[whistles]
[announcer] He's surfing for his career,
but he's so cool under pressure.
[Hughes] Matthew McGillivray with a 7.50 on the scoreboard.
Sammy Pupo looking for that excellent ride.
And there is a lot of pressure in these final couple minutes.
Drives into a great-looking opening turn.
Goes into the air...
and falls out the back.
As the final wave rolls through the lineup,
Matthew's going to have to take this one
to keep Sammy off of it
with ten seconds on the clock now.
Gains some speed as he comes through.
-[spectators cheering] -[Hughes] He's gonna ride out of it.
Whoo!
[Thompson speaks indistinctly]
[Hughes chuckles] And an insane finish
for the 25-year-old out of South Africa.
Coming from number 32 on the rankings.
[McGillivray] I've never wanted something as bad as I wanted it in that moment.
I felt in rhythm with the ocean at Margaret River,
so it was a really special event for me.
Told you, mate.
[laughs]
[Hodge] You reflect on how well Morgan did last season.
And for Matty McGillivray,
he had a really tough go as a rookie on tour.
You know, those roles have kinda r-reversed now.
Why do you like these high-pressure situations, bro?
-[laughs] -[Fletcher laughing] Stop doing it to us.
[McGillivray] Yeah, well, now we can relax.
[Fletcher] Now we can relax.
Now we can plan and now we can do shit.
Yeah, no.
The fear of falling off tour, people react to it different.
People either go,
"Well, oh, I hope and I pray that it-- it's gonna go my way."
And other people are like, "I'm gonna make my own destiny."
[Hughes] And it's official.
Matthew McGillivray securing the final spot into G-Land.
Owen Wright's out of competition.
Matty, well done, brother. [laughing]
Well done, legend.
Surfed so well, man. Thank you.
Surfed really well. I appreciate it and thanks.
You deserve everything, mate. Well done. Thank you.
[people cheering]
[announcer] It's semifinal time here for the men at the Margaret River Pro.
Ethan Ewing is gonna take on Jack Robinson.
Should be a fantastic clash.
[Fanning] Jack's attitude in his second year,
it was very different than to Morgan's.
You sort of see him in the background
and he's trying to just block out all the noise.
Something changed in Jack last year in Mexico.
I think he found a formula there
and applied it to his year two and he made the cut.
And now he's aiming for the top five.
-[crowd cheering] -[spectator] Go, Jack!
[Fanning] And when he's in the water he's very observant.
And trying to pick up every little detail of everything that's going on.
[commentator] Jack Robinson now on a beast of a wave.
[announcer] The touch and the feel,
and the instinct of Jack Robinson.
Knows his break, every drop of water.
[Robinson] Margaret River is my home.
I grew up surfing this wave.
I feel connected to the ocean here.
It has an extra energy, for sure.
[Turpel] Looking for the end section.
[Turpel] And rides away.
Yeah! Fucking come on!
[announcer] Jack Robinson is on his way to his second CT final,
with a shot to win at home.
Whoo!
[kids cheering]
[crowd cheering]
[Turpel] What a show we have in store for us
here in the final heat of the contest.
John John Florence verse Jack Robinson.
This is as good as it gets.
[announcer] John John Florence, he is the man to beat.
[Hughes] John John Florence and Margaret River
just fit together like nothing we've ever seen.
He's been unbeaten there since the 2017 season.
-[Turpel] Incredible. -[Hodge] Whoo-hoo!
[Turpel] It's unanimous from the panel, a perfect ten.
[Hughes] It totally suits his style.
He's a really powerful surfer.
And he's really good in big, heavy barrels.
And he can do turns in the heaviest sections.
[Kennedy] And Florence up once again. Oh, my goodness.
[commentator] Look at that turn there.
Not many people on the planet can do that.
[Hughes] It's a new challenge for Jack.
And semifinal is a good result,
but not for somebody who wants a World Title.
If you wanna win a World Title, you gotta be winning contests.
Jack has to prove that he can do it,
to kind of find that repeat recipe.
And show that he is up for the title this year.
This is your place. This is your fucking time. Let's go.
[commentator] Ten seconds from start.
John Florence and Jack Robinson,
you guys are underway in five, four, three, two, one.
[horn blares]
It is Jack Robinson who has snuck the wave
from under John Florence's guard.
Big end section coming up.
And rides out strong in front of the whitewash.
[Turpel] The king of Margaret River pulling in deep.
-Florence comes out. -[crowd gasps]
[Turpel] Just a tube, no turns.
But John is just heating up.
Oh, my gosh. Are you kidding me?
[commentator] Just completely loses control of the tail, but then regains it.
A nice aggressive finish.
[Turpel] John's having a lot of fun right now.
[commentator] We are now halfway through the men's final.
Jack with a seven, John with an 8.5. John with the lead.
Robinson needs to throw everything at it.
Let's go, bruv.
[Robinson] I've watched the event since I was around five years old.
I would just be in awe of the whole event, you know, and imagine myself in it.
Everyone always looks at John for Margaret River
'cause he's surfed it the best in the past.
They always call it his event, but it's my town
and I wanna win my event.
[Turpel] Robinson needs to keep tabs on Florence.
Building some speed.
A big rotation. He gets it.
Oh, yeah! Come on. Yes!
[Bemrose] Game on, you fuckers. Let's go.
[commentator] We got a heat on our hands here, but it--
It's all starting to open up.
[Turpel] All of Margaret River
getting behind Jack Robinson in a big way.
[laughing, cheering]
[Bartholomew] We got a lead change.
[Turpel] This might be John's biggest test in a final
here at Margaret River.
[Bartholomew] But you just know that given the opportunity,
he is gonna bounce back bigger.
[Nathan] Okay, he's gonna have one more opportunity.
[Turpel] Down to ten seconds.
There's one wave.
[Bemrose] He has to go this.
[Nathan] Someone's gonna get this wave.
Come on, bruv. You've got to go.
[Turpel] Here's the countdown.
[commentator] Five, four,
three, two, one.
[Turpel] And he's gonna take it off him.
The last wave will be ridden by Jack Robinson, and it's a victory lap.
Yeah! Come on! Yeah! Yes! Yeah.
-Wow! That was amazing. -[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Jack Robinson has won the 2022 Margaret River Pro on home soil.
It's his second championship tour win,
and he's done it against the best, John John Florence.
[Cote] I don't wanna get too ahead of myself,
but I'm claiming Jack Robinson
will be surfing for a World Title this year.
[Bemrose] Give it up for Jack Robinson, everyone!
[crowd cheering]
[person cheers] Come on!
[Kennedy] By winning Margaret River, Jack slots into number three in the world,
and really announces himself as a genuine title contender.
Because he's beaten a former world champion
at one of his favorite waves.
He just seems to be mentally tougher.
[Slater] Man, that final was really close.
You got to really have faith in yourself in those moments.
You just have to have that belief that you're gonna win.
The difference in one year is uncanny.
Last year, he almost fell off tour.
And now he finds himself in the final five.
And he is still really pushing himself in all situations to get better.
[Cibilic] Sick to see Jack get the victory.
Jack's a legend.
He's always... [chuckles] ...out in the water,
pushing himself, pushing everybody else.
Yeah, he's super competitive. He wants it bad.
Your champion of the Margaret River Pro, Jack Robinson.
[Robinson] It's like anyone winning any sporting event
they've watched as a kid growing up.
And it's sort of a surreal feeling, you know.
He's done it at home.
[Robinson] To lift the trophy, and know that you did it...
It's those special moments, you know. You remember 'em forever.
And now I'm on a mission for a title, you know.
So that's why I'm here.
Thank you very much. I appreciate you guys.
Love everybody here. You guys make it happen. Thank you.
[crowd cheering]
[Turpel] Welcome to the Quiksilver Pro G-Land.
[Kennedy] Filipe is leading the competition.
[commentator 2] He's on fire.
[Toledo] This is my time.
[Blakey] Everyone's asking the question,
who can possibly stop Filipe Toledo now?
Oh, yeah. [chuckles]
Gabriel coming back to G-Land, smart move.