Deakin student and pro surfer Isabella Nichols wins the WSL Margaret River Pro
Congratulations to elite-athlete student Isabella Nichols on winning the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia this week!
A Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) student at Deakin, Isabella defied all odds to claim the tense final with a total score of 15.93 against Hawaii’s Gabriela Bryan, just surviving the World Surfing League’s (WSL) new mid-season cut.
At just 24 years of age, Isabella is steadily carving out a promising career as one of Australia’s most exciting new faces to join the WSL circuit. Growing up on the Sunshine Coast, Isabella first took to the waves at the tender age of ten. Perfecting her technique as a teen, she went on to claim a series of national competitions in recent years to secure her WSL debut in 2020. Isabella was also named our Rising Star Award recipient in the 2020 Deakin Sport Awards, an annual event which recognises and celebrates the achievements of Deakin’s elite-athlete students.
Following the event, a clearly emotional Isabella was still processing her momentous victory.
‘I don’t feel like this moment is real right now,’ she said. ‘I’ve dreamt about this my whole life. I feel like I’m still in bed at home asleep. It will take me a while to digest.
‘Only this morning was I thinking about falling off tour. Now it’s (about making the) final five – the goals change.’
We’ll now be eagerly cheering on Isabella as she heads into the final stages of the WSL tour. Congratulations on this huge achievement, Isabella – we’re so proud of you!