Holly Williams (Sunshine Coast) and Billy Stairmand (NZL) were today victorious at Sydney's Maroubra beach. The Mad Mex Maroubra Pro presented by N G Farah World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS)1000 event wrapped up in wet weather today but despite the wind and the rain, the surfers maintained the heat in the waves.
Billy Stairmand has been building all year on the Aus leg of QS events. - WSL / Natalie Meredith
The day kicked off with the Quarterfinals with athletes not afraid to put everything into finals day heats, for many these are the conditions they train in and train the hardest for. Holly Williams won the day with consistency. The Queenslander had the highest heat score total in the women's draw. In the Quarters she managed to end Jesse Starling's Maroubra Pro campaign with two solid waves (13.0) and in the Semifinal finished with 13.33 eliminating Sierra Kerr after a tight battle.
Kerr led the start of the heat and fought hard catching 10 waves but couldn't find the extra points after Williams upped the ante with a 7.33 from a slick combination of powerful manoeuvres in the small swell. Williams was able to keep the fire burning when she needed it most and kept it lit as she headed into the Final against Charli Hurst (Port Kembla).
Holly Williams chaired to victory for the first time at the QS level. - WSL / Natalie Meredith
Both Women stayed busy in the Final pushing each other and staying focused on wave selection. A gallant effort by South Coast surfer Charli Hurst who took home a second place in the first QS event of the 2023 season and her first QS final ever. For Williams her maiden QS win was sweet.
"I'm pretty speechless to be honest," Williams said. "It was really hard work out there but it's such similar conditions to home on the Sunshine Coast and I'm just so stoked to take out my first QS event win ever. The rain and the wind got harder but I was happy to get a good right hand wave under priority to give me the points I needed to take the win. This win puts me in a really good place to start the year and a good place to start building points towards qualifying for the Challenger Series," she said.
Holly Williams found some diamonds in the rough on a blustery Finals Day at Maroubra. - WSL / Natalie Meredith
In the Men's draw it was New Zealand Olympian Billy Stairmand who had the strongest spark this morning. It started with a takedown of Darcy Crump in the Quarterfinals followed by a tight matchup with in-form Thomas Carvalho. Stairmand also scored the highest single wave of the day (8.00) signalling his strong start to the final. Alistair Reginato, although on the back foot early, had an incredible campaign at Maroubra this week and was also happy with his overall result.
"Last week I qualified for the Challenger Series so I had a lot of pressure off my shoulders coming into this event," said Stairmand. "I was super comfortable out there, I love those little lefts being from Raglan, I think we're just lucky to have the waves we did out there. I thought it was going to be a bit smaller but I love it, I'm pretty small in stature and it worked out my way. I've been on the Qualifying Series for a while now and I always love coming back to Maroubra."
Fresh off CS qualification and into a QS win, Billy Stairmand has had a big week on the East Coast of Aus. - WSL / Natalie Meredith
The Mad Mex Maroubra Pro wraps up the Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series ahead of the start of the World Surf League Challenger Series start with the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro in May.
Holly Williams and Billy Stairmand Claim Victory at Mad Mex Maroubra Pro
WSL
Holly Williams (Sunshine Coast) and Billy Stairmand (NZL) were today victorious at Sydney's Maroubra beach. The Mad Mex Maroubra Pro presented by N G Farah World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS)1000 event wrapped up in wet weather today but despite the wind and the rain, the surfers maintained the heat in the waves.
The day kicked off with the Quarterfinals with athletes not afraid to put everything into finals day heats, for many these are the conditions they train in and train the hardest for. Holly Williams won the day with consistency. The Queenslander had the highest heat score total in the women's draw. In the Quarters she managed to end Jesse Starling's Maroubra Pro campaign with two solid waves (13.0) and in the Semifinal finished with 13.33 eliminating Sierra Kerr after a tight battle.
Kerr led the start of the heat and fought hard catching 10 waves but couldn't find the extra points after Williams upped the ante with a 7.33 from a slick combination of powerful manoeuvres in the small swell. Williams was able to keep the fire burning when she needed it most and kept it lit as she headed into the Final against Charli Hurst (Port Kembla).
Both Women stayed busy in the Final pushing each other and staying focused on wave selection. A gallant effort by South Coast surfer Charli Hurst who took home a second place in the first QS event of the 2023 season and her first QS final ever. For Williams her maiden QS win was sweet.
"I'm pretty speechless to be honest," Williams said. "It was really hard work out there but it's such similar conditions to home on the Sunshine Coast and I'm just so stoked to take out my first QS event win ever. The rain and the wind got harder but I was happy to get a good right hand wave under priority to give me the points I needed to take the win. This win puts me in a really good place to start the year and a good place to start building points towards qualifying for the Challenger Series," she said.
In the Men's draw it was New Zealand Olympian Billy Stairmand who had the strongest spark this morning. It started with a takedown of Darcy Crump in the Quarterfinals followed by a tight matchup with in-form Thomas Carvalho. Stairmand also scored the highest single wave of the day (8.00) signalling his strong start to the final. Alistair Reginato, although on the back foot early, had an incredible campaign at Maroubra this week and was also happy with his overall result.
"Last week I qualified for the Challenger Series so I had a lot of pressure off my shoulders coming into this event," said Stairmand. "I was super comfortable out there, I love those little lefts being from Raglan, I think we're just lucky to have the waves we did out there. I thought it was going to be a bit smaller but I love it, I'm pretty small in stature and it worked out my way. I've been on the Qualifying Series for a while now and I always love coming back to Maroubra."
The Mad Mex Maroubra Pro wraps up the Vissla NSW Pro Surf Series ahead of the start of the World Surf League Challenger Series start with the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro in May.
Billy Stairmand
Billy Stairmand moves onto the Round of 64 with pocket 7's and the Highest Heat Score Total so far out of the Opening Rounds to meet Former
Epic Conditions and Massive Performances on Finals Day
Men's and Women's Semifinalists Decided in Pumping Surf
A slight uptick in swell provided moments of high-caliber surfing from the Challenger Series' contingent looking to crack a big result.
The bump in swell came as expected, but the wind came with it and competition was forced to go on hold in the Azores.
Mad Mex Maroubra Pro
The race to the 2023 Challenger Series has commenced in the Australia / Oceania region in small but fun surf at Maroubra Beach.
After being postponed last month, the event will return to Maroubra and launch the race to the 2023 Challenger Series.
The WSL and Surfing NSW have made the difficult decision to postpone the Mad Mex Maroubra Pro due to the current state of emergency in NSW.
Australia and New Zealand's best up and comers set to descend on Maroubra Beach this March 4 - 6.