- WSL / W HaydenSmith

PHILLIP ISLAND, Victoria / Australia (Tuesday, March 18, 2025) - Day 2 of the Phillip Island Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 event shifted back to the primary location of Cape Woolamai and was greeted by dramatically different conditions to yesterday. Competitors in the men's Round of 96 and first 8 heats of the Round of 64 dined out on super clean, pumping surf in the four-to-six-foot range.

Burleigh Heads local Tane Dobbyn (AUS) had a dreamy heat at Woolamai today, scoring a deep tube that saw him navigate multiple sections, but he was up to the task and came flying out to score the first excellent ride of the event. Dobbyn then backed it up with some powerful carves to win the heat with an excellent two-wave total of 16.35 (out of a possible 20), the highest of the event so far.

"That was a heat you dream of," Dobbyn said. "I just kept finding all the good waves, I started to feel bad for the other guys, but then I realised that has happened to me on the other side in the past, so I just tried to enjoy it. It was a lot of fun."

Dobbyn was later eliminated by an in-form Reef Heazlewood (AUS) and Filipino standout John Mark Tokong (PHL), who head to the Round of 32 when competition resumes. Heazlewood put on a clinic, earning some of the highest scores of the day for his super quick, technical brans of surfing.

Former World Junior Champion Jarvis Earle (AUS) made the most of the maxing surf on offer at Cape Woolamai, putting on an impressive display of powerful and progressive turns. Earle was seeded directly into the Round of 64 and looked like he was right at home in the excellent conditions.

"It's great to have proper waves like this for a competition," said Earle. "I found a lot of really fun waves, but I am pretty tired now; a lot of waves means a lot of paddling. It's my first time coming to Phillip Island, there's so many places to go surf, there's a lot of things to do, it's been fun."

Reef Heazlewood (AUS), to a commanding win in his Round of 64 match-ups, advancing to the Round of 32 alongside Philippine surfer John Mark Tokong. Currently ranked 17th, Heazlewood is looking for a big result at this event, and his first showing at this event sent a message to his fellow competitors.

"I recently got married, and I came here with my wife, which has been super fun," said Heazlewood. "I had a good heat, but I am not looking too far ahead, just trying to do my job and surf and also have a fun trip with my wife."

Heats 3 and 4 of the men's Round of 64 saw the top two ranked surfers in the Asia Region, Bronson Meydi (INA) and Shohei Kato (JPN), both eliminated from competition. Although the pair look to have secured enough points to keep them within the qualification bracket, it could have opened the door for a few others to climb into a higher seed or even into qualification contention.

Willis Droomer Phillip Island 2024 Willis Droomer Phillip Island 2024 - WSL / W HaydenSmith

Victorian hopefuls Carl Wright (AUS) and Willis Droomer (AUS) continued their charge through the field, each booking spots in the Round of 32 at Phillip Island along with Tully Wylie (AUS). Wright, a Phillip Island local, is hoping to bank a solid result while the WSL is in town, while Droomer, a Torquay upstart, is only just getting his QS career off and running.

The 2025 Phillip Island Pro QS 3,000 will run at Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island, in the Bass Coast Shire Victoria, from March 17 - 22, 2025. For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

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