RYAN Callinan admits the thought of the Championship Tour's imminent mid-season cut will be hard to put aside when he paddles out for his opening heat at the Margaret River Pro.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Merewether surfer, who could compete as early as Friday in the contest's seeding round, was 17th in the overall rankings heading into the World Surf League's fifth CT event of 2024.
With 11,000 ranking points, he was 2265 above the relegation zone.
After this contest, the top-22 surfers continue on the CT, while those below the cut-off line drop to the second-tier Challenger Series.
To remain in the top flight, Callinan will likely need a fair result in Western Australia.
The 31-year-old is in a good spot, but is feeling some pressure, unlike last year when a second-place finish at Bells Beach in the prior event ensured he was safe.
"The cut is always brutal," Callinan told the Newcastle Herald.
"I'm definitely not feeling as safe as I was last year coming into this event.
"I know I need a few more heats, so the better I go the safer I'll feel.
"It's hard to not think about, but [I'm] trying to focus on what I can control and doing my best surfing.
"A few more heats would feel great to lock me in for the rest of the year."
The goofy-footer, who missed the cut and dropped to the CS in 2022, said he felt like he had experienced "every situation now, from being cut to being very safe and now right near the line".
A ninth and two fifth-placed finishes are Callinan's best results at Margaret River, where he is due to face American and recent Bells Beach Pro winner, Cole Houshmand, and Brazilian Caio Ibelli, in heat eight of the opening round.
"First heat looks good, they are all hard so I'll have to be on my game, no matter who I have," Callinan said.
"I try not to think about the other people too much. Just focus on what I do best."
After finishing 33rd two contests ago in Portugal, Callinan improved to a round-of-16 exit at Bells last month where he was eliminated by Merewether clubmate Morgan Cibilic.
"[It was] good to make a few heats at Bells and get that winning feeling back after Portugal," Callinan said.
"I've had some good results in WA in the past, but every year is different and presents new challenges.
"The forecast is looking a little tricky this year. But good to know I have had some success and I really like the power of the waves over here so hopefully I can try and go better than I ever have."
Meanwhile, the women's contest got underway on Thursday with the Central Coast's Molly Picklum winning her opening heat to advance straight to the round of 16. Fellow Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons was a big name who failed to progress.
Ranked 14th, she will be fighting for her contest and tour survival surfing in the elimination round.
Max McKinney
Max McKinney is a sports reporter with the Newcastle Herald. He previously worked in news, covering mainly local government and transport. Max mostly reports on the Newcastle Knights, but also covers a mix of local sport.
Max McKinney is a sports reporter with the Newcastle Herald. He previously worked in news, covering mainly local government and transport. Max mostly reports on the Newcastle Knights, but also covers a mix of local sport.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
