Simmers and Fioravanti Start World Surf League Season with Lexus Pipe Pro Second Places
- wgclients01
- Feb 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 1
Reigning World Surf League champion Caitlin Simmers and Italian Leonardo Fioravanti both finished second at the opening 2025 WSL event in Hawaii as the world's best surfers took on the fearsome Banzai Pipeline at the Lexus Pipe Pro tournament.
Here is all you need to know:
American Simmers came into the season opener fresh off her 2024 WSL title win and she cruised past compatriot Moana Jones Wong and Sawyer Lindblad to book a semi-final clash against Molly Picklum, which became a Backdoor shootout for the ages that Simmers won 17.67 to the Australian's 16.13.
American Caroline Marks made it through to the quarter-finals where her run ended at the hands of eventual winner Tyler Wright, the Australian beating American Lakey Peterson in the semi-finals before holding off Simmers in the women's final to win by 7.70 to 3.94 and claim the title.
Simmers started with an early advantage after Wright aggressively paddled for a wave and handed the younger competitor priority. Both surfers missed out on high scores after taking big falls, and it was Wright who found the first score of note after the halfway mark of the heat. That barrel at Backdoor turned out to be the defining moment of the final.
Simmers, 19, said: "I think watching this wave from inside and out, whether you're in the barrel or just watching it from the beach is one of the most beautiful things ever. I kind of just wish the final was a barrel shootout, but sometimes she sleeps and the ocean definitely slept during our heat. Tyler is a very smart competitor and she just got the waves. Congrats to her."
In the men's event, American Griffin Colapinto, Australian Jack Robinson and South African Jordy Smith all bowed out at the Round of 32 with Japan's Kanoa Igarashi and Brazilian João Chianca falling at the Round of 16 stage as Brazilian Italo Ferreira and Fioravanti made the last eight.
Ferreira edged past Miguel Pupo in his quarter-final to set up a semi-final with Barron Mamiya, however the 2019 world champion was on the wrong end of a clinic and exited in the last four.
On the other side of the draw, Fioravanti posted six excellent scores over the course of the event, overcoming challenges from Australian rookies George Pittar and Joel Vaughan then Brazilian Ian Gouveia in the semi-final on the back of a comfortable 16.57 to 9.34 scoreline.
The final saw Fioravanti make an epic comeback to equal Mamiya's huge 17.97 heat total and, despite losing the tie-breaker, he leaves the North Shore - where he lives part-time - holding his head high.
Fioravanti, 27, said: "I'm proud of myself and I'm stoked to be here. Barron had me in combo, but I just thought, you know what, two Backdoor waves can do it. And needing a 9.11 and getting a 9.10, it's tough. It's tough, but I am very proud of myself for coming back and giving myself that chance. Congratulations to Barron. He is one of the greatest Pipe surfers of all time. I truly believe that."
The next 2025 WSL stop is the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro with a competition window from Friday, February 14, through to Sunday, February 16.
