The “grit” ingrained by Molly Picklum’s Central Coast upbringing and her longing to emulate her idols came to the fore in Fiji as she defied some nervous moments to conquer Cloudbreak and become Australia’s newest world champion
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At just 22, Picklum has joined the pantheon of Australian world titleholders, including Steph Gilmore, Layne Beachley and Tyler Wright, defying a long wait, nerves, some “definite doubts” and thenthree do-or-die heats to secure her breakthrough in a brilliant head-to-head clash with American Caroline Marks.
After more than a week of waiting to compete, then hours watching the four other contenders battle it out to meet her in the winner-take-all final, Picklum lost the first heat before dominating the next two to secure an emotional world title.
“I feel like to be the undisputed, undeniable champion is everything I ever dream of,” she said after lifting the trophy she coveted.
“You can win one way, and you can win like that. And that fills my heart for sure, to win like that.
“There was so much doubt. I feel like it’s what raises a champion, and you got to step up and rise above that.
“After the first heat, I just like, swallowed it and took what I could and just went out there and just honoured my beliefs and went after it.
“It’s such a trip, like it’s something that you can never take from me ever.”
Picklum became the first Australian world champion since Gilmore claimed her eighth title in 2022.
“It’s such a trip from a central coast kid, little grom looking up to Steph and Layne and Sally (Fitzgibbons) and Tyler and all those girls,” she said.
“It’s such a trip that I’m on like a list with those females. And I just feel so honored and grateful that I’ve had such role models to look up to.
“It’s really true, the whole like, it takes a village to raise a child, and the whole Central Coast, they’ve, like, been built the grit in me and my team. And then, of course, my family and friends like they just support me, and they know who I am, and they know how hard I work, and it means the world to do it in front them.”
After the long wait just to get in the water, watching women’s and men’s battles, Picklum took the first wave available in the 35-minute opening heat and was dumped.
Knowing she could take the title by winning the heat, the world No.1 continued to attack.
But Marks, who started the final day ranked fourth, surfed in the first heat and took down three opponents, including defending world champ Caitlin Simmers to get to the last duel, used her momentum and capitalised on Picklum’s clear tension to take it, forcing the Australian to win the next two.
Stirred into action, Picklum surged back into the contest at the start of the second heat, picking up two brilliant wave scores of 7 and 6 points, then a superb barrel ride that
netted an 8.83 score and earned a double-first pump from Picklum, who controlled proceedings and locked the final at 1-1.
Back in the water a third time, Picklum again exploded out of the blocks with a seven-point ride, then a 6.5, setting a tiring Marks a task.
Picklum was near faultless with the title on the line, delivering some stunning rides, including another barrel, which earned another 8.83, firing herself up after completing each wave.
As the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes, Marks needed a two-wave combination of 15.83 to win, a score she couldn’t reel in, securing Picklum the victory she craved.
Picklum had been red hot in the latter stages of the season, winning two of the final three events, including in Tahiti to clinch the No.1 seed in the final and set up her tilt at the title.
She made five appearances in event finals in 2025, the most on tour, and capped her stunning season with her maiden world title.
“It really feels like the cherry on top to what I’ve done to my career,” Picklum said.
“To be a world champion, and it just was such an amazing season. Was really special, and it’ll stay in there for life.”
Jack Robinson, the only Australian male to make the final five, was unable to produce any heroics in Fiji.
First into the water in a sudden-death showdown after finishing fourth on the rankings, he was outgunned by Brazilian Italo Ferreira, the 2019 world champion.
Ferreira finished the heat with a score of 14.33 while Robinson had some unwanted falls and could only manage two scoring waves, for a total of just 5.83.
It was a flat end to an otherwise big year for Robinson who charged into the finals with a win in the final event of the year in Tahiti, one of his two victories for 2025 having also recorded a memorable triumph at Bells Beach.
Another Brazilian, Yago Dora, won the men’s title defeating American Griffin Colapinto in the opening heat of their final clash.
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