After Margaret River, the Scimitar of Doom is
retired, cast aside like last night’s prom dress.
We have arrived at Margaret River, home of vibrant
sunsets, succulent vineyards, many sharks, and the dreaded
cut. No, I do not work for the tourism board, why do you ask? The
Scimitar of Doom hangs suspended over the the world’s top women and
only ten surfers will continue to this season’s remaining
events.
It is so thrilling and full of suspense. I can’t even wait to
see who will survive.
This edition of Margaret River is the very last time we get to
experience the cut. After this season, the Scimitar of
Doom is retired, cast aside like last night’s prom
dress. Instead, we get a little paring knife-type deal
for a pair of events late in the season.
I’m not even sure why this plan exists but someone thought it
was a good idea. So, here we are.
I was all excited to bring you a ranking of who is going to make
the cut and all of that. The end of careers! The beginning of new
ones!
It turns out that on the women’s side, the cut is… not that
consequential. I had imagined that the expansion of the women’s
Tour for 2026 would simply qualify more people through the
Challenger Series. I have thought so many wrong things in my life,
and not just about surfing, but we’re just going to focus on the
surfing wrong things here.
How does the women’s cut actually work this year? The top
fourteen women currently on Tour are automatically qualified for
the expanded Tour in 2026. Seven new surfers, meanwhile, will join
the Tour from the Challengers, and I do hope they’re interesting.
Please be interesting new surfers on Tour. Please give me this one
nice thing. Three wildcards will round out the draw.
With the Tour’s expansion, the Scimitar of Doom just got a lot
less, well, doomy. Lakey, Vahine, Bella, and Brisa are currently
below the cut and will still be back on Tour next year. Currently,
the only woman likely to get sent to the Challengers is Sal, unless
she makes a solid run up the rankings. I guess that’s possible!
Anything is possible.
Four surfers are totally safe from the Scimitar of Doom. The
Fabulous Four includes Gabriela, who currently leads the rankings,
Caity, Molly, and Isabella and they have all punched their tickets
for the second half of the season. Molly and Caity can get shacked
at the Box and chill. There are worse ways to spend a couple of
weeks.
Let’s look real quick at the rest. More Scimitars of Doom means
a girl is more likely to miss the cut. Watch out! The Five
Scimitars of the Apocalypse are coming for you!
Sally Fitzgibbons. She’s currently last in the rankings and
below the cut-cut — the actual go to the Challengers Series cut —
and even a second-place finish on the Gold Coast didn’t change that
reality. Sal obviously loves competing and I’d expect her to keep
doing it as long as she possibly can. But she isn’t making the cut
here. Don’t make me eat these words. Five Scimitars of Doom.
Vahine Fierro. After a string of early-round exits, Vahine
managed to make the semis at Burleigh Head, but those early exits
have hurt her. Her backhand on open-face rights lacks the snap and
verve of women like Sawyer Linblad and Erin Brooks. To make the
cut, it’ll take a miracle at the River. Five Scimitars.
Lakey Peterson. In the hope of reviving her career, Lakey
changed all kinds of things at once this year: her coach, her
boards, her turns. She’s currently sitting just below the cut line
and so far, she’s has only twice made it out of round 3. Margaret
River suits her, especially if there’s size, but she hasn’t really
made a convincing case for herself. Surprise me, girl. Five
Scimitars.
Bella Kenworthy. In her rookie season, Bella’s made three
quarterfinals, which is a good start to her Tour career. I think
she has more to give than she’s shown so far, and I’m looking
forward to seeing her back next year. On paper Margaret River is a
good match for her strong-legged style, but she went out in round 3
on the Gold Coast which was not a super auspicious start to the
treble. More experience should improve her consistency. Four
Scimitars.
Brisa Hennessy. Typically one of the most reliable women on
Tour, Brisa’s had a few shockers, including two second-round exits.
She’s also had two quarterfinal finishes and made the semis at
Bells. Which Brisa will show up to Margaret River? Got me! Do I
look like one of those oracle things that can answer hard questions
and stuff? Four Scimitars.
Sawyer Lindlbad. Last year, Sawyer went on a tear at Margaret
River and finished second to Gabriela in one of her best finishes
of the year. Sawyer’s improved over last year with three trips to
the quarters so far. She’s perched precariously above the line
right now, just ahead of Lakey, Vahine, and Bella, and I like her
chances to stay there. Two Scimitars.
Luana Silva. Girl’s been singing the round 3 blues all season,
but a second at Bells and a quarterfinal finish on the Gold Coast
have revived Luana’s season. She has the skills, and her confidence
should be high right now. Luana also managed to make the cut last
year under similar circumstances. Two Scimitars.
Erin Brooks. A semifinal finish at Burleigh Head has boosted
Erin’s chances of staying on Tour and punching her way into the top
five. But she still has work to do, because she’s still closer to
the cut than she is to the top five. On the Gold Coast, Erin
rightly won the Big Important Heat against Steph Gilmore. I think
she’ll make it through at Margaret River, but it’s something of a
surprise that it’s even a question. Two Scimitars.
Bettylou Sakura Johnson. A big win on the Gold Coast pushed
Bettylou seven spots up the rankings, and outside of a shocker, she
looks secure. Her early season didn’t really come together at all
as she sat stuck in round 3 for three straight events. Two quarters
and a win later, and the future looks so much brighter. One
Scimitar.
Caroline Marks. Currently tied on points with Bettylou, Caroline
has a knack for sitting just outside the top five before pouncing.
She’s still bringing the same, consistent surfing that won her a
world title in 2023. (Yes, I actually got it right this time. One
world title!) I’m not sure how much longer Caroline can keep
playing the same tune, though, and it’s only a matter of time
before Erin and Sawyer steal her lunch money. She’s safe, but only
for now. One Scimitar.
Tyler Wright. It would take a shocker for Tyler to fall below
the cut line, and it’s unlikely to happen at Margaret River. I’d
love to push Tyler’s layback below the cut, but I do not think that
this is how any of this works. If she makes the cut, her layback
does, too, which is unfortunate for my eyes. Tyler currently sits
fifth in the rankings, but Bettylou and Caroline are both close on
points. One Scimitar.
