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Champion WA surfer Bronte Macaulay pleads for beach goers to fall in line

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Steve ButlerThe West Australian
VideoPolice say Nat Fyfe will not be fined for surfing in Margaret River after being cleared of any wrongdoing

Champion WA surfer Bronte Macaulay has urged the State’s wave-lovers to show greater respect to social-distancing rules or risk having beaches closed.

Macaulay said daily surfing with her famous father Dave at their Gracetown home was vital for her general well-being after the disappointment of the World Surf League being shut down because of the coronavirus.

Just six weeks ago she posted a picture on Instagram from Gracetown, writing: “Last swim in the bay for a little while”.

But after winning an event at Merewether Beach in NSW, she is now home for the foreseeable future, with the WSL still without a return date.

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Macaulay said she could not understand why some people were congregating in beach carparks and implored them to follow the rules.

“It has been pretty silly and frustrating watching people hanging in groups in the carparks,” she said.

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“We’re in a pandemic and it’s not the time for that. Gracetown is a pretty small community and we have discussions about it and there are also signs in the carparks.

“People seem to be getting a lot more aware that it’s not the time to be in a group and surfing, you just surf to get a bit of exercise and go straight home. To be honest, I’d be going a little bit crazy if there were no beaches open ... it’s a big part of my lifestyle.”

The 26-year-old, who finished 13th in last year’s WSL, was eyeing significant improvement this year before the coronavirus spread.

Bronte Macaulay
Camera IconBronte Macaulay Credit: Bronte Macaulay/instagram/supplied

“It was kind of strange ... we’d packed for two months on the east coast with about five or six events in a row and came home after two weeks,” she said.

“We were in an event in Manly and found out on the last day of the comp that they were going to cancel the next few events ... it escalated and it was all over, but surfing contests are pretty insignificant right now.

“But it’s our first autumn at home for five years or something so it’s nice to at least get some good surfing in and experience how good it is here at this time of year.”

Macaulay said as a WA Institute of Sport scholarship holder she had been provided with crucial fitness programs and advice, which she would utilise after a rare four-week break from her sport.

“I’m just trying to keep things pretty simple and go for a little surf here and there,” she said. “Even for just keeping your sanity, it’s such a nice form of exercise for everyone.”

Macaulay said she was expecting a WSL update in June on when the season may resume.

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