‘It sucks, man’: World Surf League’s dreaded cut claims its final unlucky victims

As a towering swell reached Margaret River, Australian-Japanese surfer Connor O’Leary narrowly escaped the "cut" line, securing his spot on the World Surf League Championship Tour while his friend and rival Liam O’Brien was sent packing to the Challenger Series. Meanwhile, Jacob Willcox, another unlucky surfer, faced elimination as the WSL introduced controversial changes aimed at boosting casual interest. With the mid-season cut now replaced by a late-season mini-cut and an expanded female field, the focus remains on redemption and competition for the future.