Whatshot
Lakey Peterson and John John Florence Win Margaret River Pro
Lakey Peterson and John John Florence Win Margaret River Pro
Margaret River, West Australia, set the scene where Lakey Peterson (USA) and John John Florence (HAW) won theMargaret River Pro,the fourth stop on the 2019 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT),in six-to-eight foot waves at Main Break. Florence earned his second event title after defeating good friend Kolohe Andino (USA) in the Final, while Peterson clinched her first win in the West by taking down Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA).
With the first four stops of the season complete, the 2019 World Title race is starting to take shape heading into the year's halfway mark, the Oi Rio Pro. The 2019 CT rankings will not only decide the year's World Champions but will also determine the first 18 qualifiers into the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where surfing will make its Olympic debut. Florence currently leads the rankings on the men's Jeep Leaderboard and Peterson is gaining momentum with a move up to World No. 6.
Lakey Peterson's dominating performance comes at no surprise after her hard-fought World Title battle with Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) last year. Unfortunately for Peterson, the results did not go her way and she fell short of her maiden World Title, while Gilmore earned her seventh. After a slow start to her campaign this season, the American's victory vaults her back on track to win her first World Title and to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
"This event has been a hard one for me to overcome," Peterson said. "I was so stoked that we waited for today and got some decent swell for the Finals. It was super windy, which made it tricky but that's all a part of this place and it makes the win even sweeter."