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North Shore - World Qualifying Series (WQS) surfer Matt McGillivray from Jeffreys Bay is primed to qualify for the elite World Surf League’s (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) in 2020 after placing third at the Hawaiian Pro 10 000 tournament on the weekend.
Third-placing surfer and Rip Curl team rider McGillivray had the weight of qualification on his shoulders, as a win would have officially gained him his first year on the Championship Tour.
But he surfed with casual confidence and found a barrel in the final to lock in a 5.83, his high score of the heat. ??The 22-year-old from Jeffreys Bay took on a veteran field in the semi-finals and eliminated two-time Hawaiian Pro winner Michel Bourez (PYF) and 11-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) en route to the final.
Stealthily stacking the results, McGillivray is in a strong position heading into the Vans World Cup, where his best result was a quarter-final finish in 2018.??
With this result, McGillivray moves into the top 10 on the QS at No 6, jumping eight slots up the rankings. The top 10 surfers qualify for the Championship Tour, if they have not already secured their place by requalifying on the Championship Tour.
McGillivray will be looking forward to the Vans World Cup Of Surfing at Sunset Beach. He is always a standout at this venue and it will be the final event of the year for him to bank one more good result, and to secure his berth on the Championship Tour for next year.
Once his qualification has been made official, McGillivray will be joining fellow South African surfer Jordy Smith on the elite Championship Tour of surfing.
