Emily Patterson | Wide World of Sports
Australian surfing star Molly Picklum was beside herself when she secured her maiden world championship title in Fiji on Tuesday afternoon (AEST).
After dominating the World Surf League season, the women’s world No.1 claimed the coveted title by defeating American 2023 world champion Caroline Marks 2-1 in the title match.
In the first heat at the iconic Cloudbreak, Picklum recorded a combined wave score of 10.50 as Marks laid down a 12.50 to take an early lead.But in the second and third heats, Picklum hit back with scores of 15.83 and 16.93 to snatch victory.
She became the eighth Australian woman to win a world championship surfing title since the launch of the World Surf League in 1976, originally known as the International Professional Surfers.
“I cannot believe I’m a world champion!” Picklum said while still on her board.
“Oh my God. Oh my.”
Australia’s first seven female world champions were Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha (who won world titles for both South Africa and Australia), Pauline Menczer, Chelsea Hedges (née Georgeson), Layne Beachley, Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright.
Gilmore won a record eight world titles.
“It’s such a trip!” Picklum said.
“From a Central Coast kid, a little grom, looking up to Steph and Layne and Sally [Fitzgibbons] and Tyler and all those girls, it’s such a trip that I’m on a list with those females.”
In the lead-up to the showdown, Marks successfully surfed through three matches, which included dethroning defending world champion Caitlin Simmer in a rematch of last year’s title decider.
With a building swell at Cloudbreak, Picklum tapped into her No.1 form.
Marks needed to win the first heat of the title match to force a best-of-three heats, and did so with a score of 12.50, after a slow start and early fall from Picklum.
However, an invigorated Picklum flipped the script in the second heat, leveraging her renowned tube-riding to total 15.83 as Marks struggled to find a wave.
The Central Coast product threaded a deep barrel, drawing an individual wave score of 8.83 to take command heading into the final heat.
Contesting her seventh heat of the day, fatigue ultimately became a factor for Marks.
Another 8.83 wave from Picklum set the tone before a final 8.10 two-turn manoeuvre delivered the winning score and the world title.
Picklum’s 2025 campaign has been marked by consistency and significant results, reaching five finals.
For two thirds of the season, Picklum trailed Simmers and Hawaiian Gabriela Bryan before making a strong push to claim the No.1 ranking.
The 22-year-old won two World Surf League events this season: the Rio Pro in June and last month’s Tahiti Pro.
Picklum’s victory in Brazil saw her leapfrog her rivals to the top of the rankings.
She then solidified her lead with a runner-up finish in South Africa before she cemented her place as the No.1 seed for the finals by conquering the powerful Teahupo’o wave.
Fellow Aussie Jack Robinson exited the title race early after he was eliminated by Brazil’s Italo Ferreira in the first match of the men’s bracket.
The fourth-ranked surfer, who won Olympic silver last year, struggled with uncharacteristic falls in the smaller swell, finishing with a two-wave score of 5.83.
Meanwhile, Ferreira took full advantage of the inconsistent conditions, posting 14.33 thanks to a big frontside air and an alley-oop that set up an early lead.
Brazilian Yago Dora subsequently prevailed over Griffin Colapinto in the title match, outscoring the American 15.66 to 12.33.