Picklum Holds Nerve Against Rival Marks to Claim Maiden World Surf League Title at Cloudbreak in Fiji
- wgclients01
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Australian Molly Picklum came into the final 2025 World Surf League stop at Cloudbreak in Fiji as the most in-form women's surfer and she finished Lexus WSL Finals Fiji with her first World Championship crown as Brazilian Yago Dora earned his first men's title. Here is all you need to know:
Both Picklum and Dora entered the title deciding event as the No. 1 seeds and were able to put on stunning performances in four-to-six foot surf at Cloudbreak to claim their maiden World Titles.
2025 saw Picklum hold the number one ranking for most of the season after two event wins with 2023 World Champion and 2024 Olympic gold medallist Caroline Marks beating Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), reigning World Champion Caitlin Simmers (USA) and Gabriela Bryan (HAW) to set up a Picklum clash, who she defeated first up to set up a thrilling finale.
After that slow start, Picklum came back with a vengeance in the second match, posting a 15.83 (out of 20) two-wave total, which included an 8.83 (out of 10) for a long tube ride, to take it to a title-deciding match.
Picklum then continued the charge, posting another 8.83 - the highest single-wave score of the event - and the highest two-wave total, 16.93, to take an unassailable lead over American Marks and become the first Australian World Champion since Stephanie Gilmore in 2022.
Picklum, 22, declared: "I really feel like this is the cherry on top of what I've done to my career and my personal life, really turning things around. It's such a trip and something you can never take away from me to be a World Champion. To get this after such an amazing season is so special and something I'll remember for life. I'm just so grateful to get the opportunity to do what I love."
In terms of following in the wake of her heroes, she added: "It's such a trip to be a Central Coast kid, growing up looking up to Steph [Gilmore], Layne [Beachley], Sally [Fitzgibbons], Tyler [Wright] and all of those girls, and to now be on a list with them, I just feel so honoured and grateful."
Marks ends the season in second place for the second year in a row, while 19-year-old Simmers will be eager to bounce back next season as American Erin Brooks, 18, tries to take her surfing to the next level.
In the men's event, 2019 champion Italo Ferreira started out strong by defeating in-form Australian Jack Robinson 14.33 to 5.83 however the Brazilian came unstuck against Griffin Colapinto in the next match as the American put on a surfing masterclass to reel off a 16.33 to 13.67 victory.
Colapinto dug deep next time out to end the fairytale season of South African veteran Jordy Smith 15.43 to 13.50, but Dora was the class act in the last match of the 2025 season by taking the title 15.66 to 12.33.
Dora looked steely, waiting with priority at the start to post a 7.33 for an impressive carve, to vertical snap, combination then followed with 8.33 for three massive carves and plenty of variation to become the fifth Brazilian World Champion since 2014 - including seven of the last 11.
The 29-year-old said: "Griffin [Colapinto] was looking so dangerous out there all day, and it was nerve-racking coming up against him. It's so crazy that the whole year is decided like that in one heat. I'm really glad it's come my way and I'm over the moon, I'm so happy. I grew up watching the Brazilians before me dominating and winning World Titles and it's such an honour to join that list. I started my career on the free-surfing side, but I felt like competition is truly what drove me.
Even though he fell just short of becoming only the second Californian man in history to win a World Title, the 27-year-old Colapinto ended the season with his best-ever showing of second place.
Watch the Lexus WSL Finals Fiji replay on Red Bull TV HERE.