WSL Championship Tour Surfer Makes Skydiving Entrance into J-Bay Open

Unfortunately for McGillivray, while skydiving certainly made the experience more memorable for him, his time competing at the J-Bay Open was short-lived. After making it through the Opening Round, he was pinned against Brazilian legend Italo Ferreira for the Elimination Round, where Ferreira tamed the waves with a total score of 13.53 points. McGillivray's performance wasn't as strong, as he received a score of 9.20, resulting in his defeat.

Despite the disappointing elimination, McGillivray has made it clear that adventure sports mean more to him than bringing home a victory. While most surfers become filled with anticipation, and perhaps some angst, ahead of competitions, the 28-year-old took the J-Bay Open as an opportunity to experience adventure from a bird's-eye view.

McGillivray may be best known for his surfing abilities, but he is just as skilled in the air. After building up a thorough skydiving resume, he entered the world of BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans, and Earth) jumping.

As he told Ben Collins of the WSL in 2020:

"When I was 16, I started doing my skydiving license with my older brothers. I realized skydiving was a lot scarier than I thought, and that it was one of the best feelings in the world. In 2018, after building up enough experience skydiving, my brother, Jonathan, and I did a trip over to Twin Falls, Idaho, to do a BASE Jumping course at the only legal BASE jumping bridge in the USA."

Five years later, McGillivray continues his adventures in the air while maintaining a professional and successful surf career. Although he may be out of the competition after Ferreira defeated him, the J-Bay Open remains just as invigorating, with plenty of talent riding the waves.