Picklum and Robinson Reign Supreme at Lexus Tahiti Pro Ahead of WSL Finals
- Aug 17, 2025
- 3 min read
Australian surfers Molly Picklum and Jack Robinson reigned supreme on the iconic waves of Teahupo’o to emerge victorious at the Lexus Tahiti Pro stop in the South Pacific, which counted as the last regular season event ahead of the World Surf League Finals Fiji.
There was a lot at stake heading into the penultimate event of the 2025 WSL season with the world's best surfers looking to book a place at the one-day WSL Finals Fiji from August 27 to September 4.
The women's event was a hotly contested affair with Picklum - the best backhand tuberider on the women's tour - eventually coming out on top in the final against reigning WSL champion Caitlin Simmers to win her first Tahiti Pro event and extend her lead in the Championship Tour rankings.
Picklum got the better of France's Vahine Fierro in the quarter-finals and then American Caroline Marks in the semi-finals - thanks to a close 9.73 to 9.33 win - to set up a final against Simmers, who had seen off Australian Tyler Wright in the last eight and then Hawaiian Gabriela Bryan in the semi-finals after the Hawaiian had beaten Canadian Erin Brooks.
Simmers could not catch a break in the final as Picklum put on a masterclass to triumph 17.26 to 4.94 and confirm her status as the women's favourite heading into the WSL Finals later this month.
After banking her second 2025 win, Picklum, 22, said: "What a special place, Tahiti. You feel all the energy. It's just so nice. I'm staring at the mountains right now and staring into perfect blue. It's where the dream comes alive. And Fiji’s next; I'm gonna enjoy it for what it is. I finished number one this year and that's a massive step in the right direction."
Simmers, 19, finished the regular season ranked third with Bryan second and Marks - who won Olympic gold in Tahiti last summer - fourth while Brooks ended eighth overall to win the 2025 Rookie of the Year as American Bettylou Sakura Johnson earned the fifth and final spot for Fiji.
The men's event was another classic battle as the surfers scrapped it out on the waves to try and book a top-five place in Fiji, Robinson desperately needing the win to move up the rankings and secure his own spot.
The 27-year-old came through two close contests in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals - where he held off Brazilian Ítalo Ferreira by 15.80 to 14.07 - to set up a semi-final with American Crosby Colapinto but Robinson stepped up a level to win 18.10 to 11.66 and earn a crucial final place.
Meanwhile, American Griffin Colapinto edged out Brazil's João Chianca by just 0.03 of a point in the Round of 16 to progress then ousted Australian Ethan Ewing in the last eight and French Polynesia's Mihimana Braye in a semi-final classic to give himself another shot at final glory.
Robinson, though, had the bit between his teeth and he came out on top 16.90 to 13.67 in the final to book his Fiji place as the fourth-ranked surfer with Colapinto securing his spot third overall.
Robinson's ninth victory puts him alongside legends like Kelly Slater and Gabriel Medina as two-time Tahiti champions to assure his position as one of the all-time greats at "The End Of The Road".
Colapinto's thrilling comeback from the bottom of the rankings earlier this season included three second-place finishes and three thirds in the last seven events to prove his in-form credentials for Fiji.
Brazilian Yago Dora ended the regular season first, while South African Jordy Smith finished second overall as he chases a career-first world crown after 18 years on tour. 2019 world champion Ferreira takes the fifth Finals spot after a mixed year, but remains as dangerous a threat as ever.
Japan's Kanoa Igarashi and Italian Leonardo Fioravanti finished seventh and ninth respectively overall as the top five men and women head to Cloudbreak for the world title showdown live on Red Bull TV.
Watch the Lexus Tahiti Pro replay on Red Bull TV HERE.