Australian surfer Molly Picklum (AUS) has capped off a dominant season on the CT, winning the Lexus WSL Finals Fiji to claim her maiden World Championship. 2025 saw 22-year-old Picklum hold the Yellow Leader Jersey for the majority of the season after claiming two event wins from five Finals appearances. Today, as the No. 1 seed, Picklum overcame 2023 World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Caroline Marks (USA) with a dominant backside performance at Cloudbreak over three epic 35-minute matchups.
“I’m so speechless right now,” Picklum said. “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. To be the undisputed, undeniable Champ is something I’ve dreamt of, and to win that way feels my heart. I can not believe it, I’m just so grateful to get the opportunity to do what I love.”
Marks came into the Title Match having won three heats in a row to overcome Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), reigning World Champion Caity Simmers (USA), and Gabriela Bryan (HAW) along the way before taking the win over Picklum and sending it to a best-of-three showdown.
After a slow start and losing the first match, Picklum came back with a vengeance, posting a 15.83 (out of a possible 20) two-wave total, which included an 8.83 (out of a possible 10) for a long tube ride, to take it to a third and title-deciding match. Picklum continued the charge, posting another 8.83, the highest single-wave score of the entire event. Picklum posted the highest two-wave total of the event, 16.93, to take an unassailable lead over Marks and become the first Australian World Champion since Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) in 2022.
“There was so much doubt, but I feel like that’s what raises a champion. You have to step up and rise above that. I just kept true to trusting in the unknown, and I’m so, so grateful that it panned out. After the first heat, I just swallowed it and took what I could, honored my beliefs, and went after it.”
2025 Lexus WSL Finals Fiji Presented by Corona Cero Women’s Results:
TITLE MATCH 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) 16.93 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 6.24
TITLE MATCH 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) 15.83 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 8.03
TITLE MATCH 1: Caroline Marks (USA) 12.50 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 10.50
MATCH 3: Caroline Marks (USA) 13.67 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 9.47
MATCH 2: Caroline Marks (USA) 14.60 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 11.33
MATCH 1: Caroline Marks (USA) 9.66 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 5.00
