Yago Dora and Molly Picklum Claim World Surfing Titles in Fiji, Jordy Gets A Third – Experience It All With Extensive Gallery
All photos by World Surf League
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TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Friday, August 8, 2025) – It’s been another massive day of action at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Stop No. 11 of 12 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), with the women’s Finalists being decided. With the completion of 14 heats, Molly Picklum (AUS) and Caity Simmers (USA) have booked spots in the women’s Final that will run when competition resumes. For the second day in a row, Teahupo’o turned on incredible conditions as the world’s best women pushed the limits of tube riding in flawless, six-foot tubes.
With the swell forecast to drop off over the coming days, the competition will be OFF tomorrow, Saturday, August 9, and Sunday, August 10. The next call for competition to resume will be on Monday, August 11, at 7:00 a.m. TAHT.
Today’s competition has witnessed the 2025 WSL Final 5 locked in for the Lexus WSL Finals that will run in Fiji later this month. Molly Picklum (AUS), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Caity Simmers (USA), and Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) all held onto their spots, while Caroline Marks’ (USA) Semifinal finish was enough to see her move two places up the rankings and into contention for her second World Title.
Reigning World Champion Caity Simmers (USA) built momentum all day at Teahupo’o to earn a spot in the Final after three solid heat wins. Simmers looked comfortable in the tube all day, posting some of the highest heat totals in each round to eventually overcome World No. 2 Gabriela Bryan (HAW) in an entertaining Semifinal matchup. Simmers’ Semifinal win was enough to lock her into No. 3 in the WSL Final 5 ahead of Fiji.
“I do this to have fun, and today has been a lot of fun,” Simmers said. “I obviously focus on winning while I’m in my heats, but every now and then I just sit back and take this place in. It’s so beautiful and special, and I feel lucky to be experiencing this. I sat in looking for those little round ones, and I managed to find a few.”
Bryan’s Semifinal finish was her best yet, having been unable to break through the Elimination Round in previous years at this event. Punctuated by an 8.87 that the 23-year-old claimed was the best wave of her life, Bryan defeated Erin Brooks (CAN) in a high-scoring Quarterfinal matchup that also included an excellent 8.33 from the Canadian.
Heading into the event, Caroline Marks (USA) was sitting narrowly outside of the Final 5, knowing she needed a big result to make the jump and secure a place in the Lexus WSL Finals. Today, the 2023 World Champion extended her impressive track record in Tahiti after narrowly slipping through the Elimination Round, where then No. 4-ranked Isabella Nichols (AUS) was defeated, handing Marks a ticket to Fiji.
Having previously won both the 2023 Tahiti Pro and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games gold medal at Teahupo’o, 23-year-old Marks continued to show her impressive read of the barrel as the lineup shifted with swell direction and size. In the battle for who would have the higher seed in the Finals, Marks defeated Bettylou Sakura Johnson(HAW) in the Quarterfinals, locking her in at No. 4 on the rankings.
“I feel like in that heat I was just like, ‘Oh no pressure, just have fun,'” Marks said. “But Bettylou [Sakura Johnson] and I were laughing before. We’re like, we’re surfing for priority in Fiji right now, like whoever wins this heat gets priority over there. I felt good, getting barreled is the coolest thing ever. Fiji is just such a great place, and Cloudbreak is one of the best waves in the world. So that adds so much motivation when the Finals are at such a good wave, so we’re psyched for sure.”
It will be the third WSL Finals appearance for Marks, who won in 2023 and placed runner-up in 2024, but it will be the first showing for Johnson in the fight for the World Title. The 20-year-old has improved her end-of-year ranking every season since first joining the Tour in 2022, with this year’s leap the biggest thanks to her first two CT event wins on the Gold Coast and at Lower Trestles.
“It’s been a goal of mine this whole year, so to be able to clinch it here at the last event is pretty surreal,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, there’s maybe some swell early and we can go there and practice, spend more time over there. But yeah, I’m just super happy with my performance this whole year to get me into this spot. We’re going to Fiji!”
Molly Picklum (AUS) has put on an incredible performance at Teahupo’o today, booking a spot in the Final after claiming dominant wins in the Opening Round, Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Picklum’s technique on her backside saw her ride some of the deepest tubes of the day, earning an excellent heat total of 16.90 (out of a possible 20) in her Opening Round heat, the highest of the event so far. She then posted a near-perfect 9.77 (out of a possible 10) in her Quarterfinal heat with a super late, deep tube ride.
This was enough to come from behind and upset local favourite and reigning event winner Vahine Fierro (FRA). Picklum eventually overcame Caroline Marks (USA) with another excellent ride in the Semifinal, to book a spot in the Final for the first time in Tahiti.
“Caity [Simmers] and I always hype each other up, and whenever we come up against each other, it’s a real surf-off,” Picklum said. “We always make each other go extra hard, which is fun for us and the fans, and it also just fills my heart. It’s always an honour to verse Caity, and hopefully I can get one up on her. As I approached this event, the potential World Title began to sink in. It’s funny because when you get really close to achieving your dream, it all gets really scary.
But I’m just happy that I dream so big and it makes me scared and makes me focus and it challenges me and all of those beautiful things. I don’t think it’s sunk in that it’s so close, and it probably won’t until after the fact. Four incredible surfers can come for me, so there’s still a lot of work to get done. I’m just so grateful to be here in Tahiti, the waves and weather are beautiful, and I’d love to win here, so that’s my focus for now.”
With new rules in place for the WSL Finals, Picklum will land in Fiji later this month, needing to win a single heat to claim her first World Title.
Earlier in the day, 12-year-old Tahiti Trials Winner Kelia Gallina (PYF) made history, becoming the youngest ever competitor in a WSL CT event. Gallina was unable to progress past the Elimination Round, eventually going down to World No. 2 Gabriella Bryan (HAW). Still, her poise and technique in the tube were something to behold and will surely earn her more starts in this event in the future.
“I was so excited to surf in this competition,” Gallina said. “I was hoping that it would be a little bit smaller, but it was so fun still. It was amazing to hear all of the support from the channel and everyone cheering. I really hope to win the trials again and have another opportunity, and even one day qualify for the Championship Tour.”
TEAHUPOʻO, TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA – AUGUST 8: Kelia Gallina of French Polynesia surfs in Heat 2 of the Opening Round at the Lexus Tahiti Pro on August 8, 2025 at Teahupoʻo, Tahiti, French Polynesia.(Photo by Brent Bielmann/World Surf League)
Fellow Tahitian Event Wildcard Vahine Fierro (FRA) was unlucky to find the ride of the heat one second after the buzzer in the Opening Round. The defending event winner, Fierro, went on to defeat Isabella Nichols (AUS) in the Elimination Round with an excellent 16.67 heat total but was unable to recreate the magic in her Quarterfinal match against Picklum and will now reset for the 2026 CT season when she will return as a full-time member.
For highlights and more information from the competition at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
HEAT 1: Erin Brooks (CAN) 13.67 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 3.77, Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 3.53
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) 16.90 DEF. Kelia Gallina (PYF) 3.43, Lakey Peterson (USA) 1.97
HEAT 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.76 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 11.66, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 5.23
HEAT 4: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 12.84 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 8.70, Luana Silva (BRA) 1.47
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 8.33 DEF. Kelia Gallina (PYF) 3.90
HEAT 2: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 13.16 DEF. Luana Silva (BRA) 2.00
HEAT 3: Vahine Fierro (FRA) 16.67 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 9.17
HEAT 4: Caroline Marks (USA) 8.67 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 8.50
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 16.04 DEF. Erin Brooks (CAN) 15.16
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 15.60 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 9.83
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) 13.10 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 9.67
HEAT 4: Caroline Marks (USA) 13.00 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 9.93
HEAT 1: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 14.57 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 11.60
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) 9.73 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 9.33
HEAT 1: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Molly Picklum (AUS)
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (RSA) 16.00 DEF. Teiva Tairoa (PYF) 13.43
HEAT 2: Alan Cleland (MEX) 16.53 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 15.37
HEAT 3: Mihimana Braye (PYF) 7.50 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 2.80
HEAT 4: Joao Chianca (BRA) 15.33 DEF. Connor O’Leary (JPN) 11.67
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.07 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 13.00
HEAT 6: Marco Mignot (FRA) 9.27 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 7.83
HEAT 7: Rio Waida (INA) 12.17 DEF. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 3.17
HEAT 8: Jake Marshall (USA) 13.40 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 7.17
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 2: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA)
HEAT 5: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Mihimana Braye (PYF)
HEAT 6: Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 7: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX)
HEAT 8: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
JBay has had a good run of late. It’s had a pretty good year so far, in fact, with nearly a month of surf while the best surfers in the country were all competing in a 3-week series of surf events in Durban. Those who knew the local calendar and the forecast gorged themselves on perfect and uncrowded Supers until they could no longer do so. And it’s still here.
This swell was there for the Rising Tides program. The swell will continue into the opening day (today) or two of the waiting period. Saturday looks gangbusters. Then, there are enough bumps, winds and swell blobs over the waiting period for all involved to be at peace. BUT, and it’s a big but, the tail end of the waiting period looks way less exciting than the front end. This contest could run off in the first three days, if the winds remain light on Sunday.
In the meantime, the practice sessions have been classy. Windy, a bit lumpy, with warm water and cold air, and crowded as can be expected. However, some trends have been emerging.
Griff is on a mission. Energised, grunty, getting work done at his current office, which is the Supers lineup. High, low, neap tides, west swell 230, south swell 190, gale force offshore, small and on the bricks, blustery devil winds and everything in between. We all know Griff’s format, so no need to expound on his rail game. He’s looking solid, and the vibe on the beach and the boardwalk is that he’s the “main ou.” *
Leo may be annoying to some, as his in-water coldness and legendary drop-in skills over the years have been widely recognised. Still, having said that, he has been very fair in the water so far this year at JBay, even a little friendly, and he is on fire at the moment. He must be the fittest surfer on tour, and it shows, especially on a demanding wave like screaming offshore Supers. She’s a brutal fucker to surf comprehensively, to own the wave so to speak, and Leo looks like he is owning it right now.
Talking of exuding, Jordy is in his most comfortable place ever, exuding zen, smiles and dad-bod charm, but ‘comfort zone’ has been his passive-aggressive and successful form of attack this year. The only thing that can sometimes be irksome about Jordy, as well as Ethan, is that they sometimes make the most critical rail turns, especially on a larger JBay wall, look too easy. Those big, grunty, on-edge drawn out power carves that are best appreciated from an in-water perspective, or on the beach in close-up. Sometimes they are trivialised by a pulled-back front view.
The Sneaky Little Sneak award goes to Joao for snaking the most locals, with a unanimous carpark vote. Nothing too foul, just a very serious and dedicated magician-like snaking technique against unsuspecting, at times star-struck South African surfers, who usually turn around and say to themselves, ‘what the fuck just happened?”
The Dedicated Coaching Award is a really close one; Luke Egan and Doug Silva have put in the extra hours and become part of the system that is the swarming mass of the best surfers in the world on the best right-hander in South Africa. Both have been pretty cool in the water as well, but Egan (who won DH’s JBay Dream Sequence and a piece of local land in ’91) gets the nod for actually showing genuine interest in the local groms, getting to know them and chatting to them, and not forgetting their names the next day. Silva has been surfing some of the more obscure beachbreak spots 30 minutes south of JBay with Seth, sneaking into a few barrels yesterday in front of us, so he is doing the yards.
We must also mention Yago for a few waves in amongst the wind and rain that possibly broke every single record for the most turns ever performed on a surfing wave. Not window-wiper repetitious types of turns, but we’re talkin searing on-rail carves, gouges and power cracks in the screaming wind. We’re not sure if there is footage, but those who were watching were officially dazed, and those who were watching and couldn’t do basic math (many people these days) lost track of the number of turns and also became bewildered while trying to do the sums.
The Most Likely To Fit Into The JBay Vibe Award is going to Alan Cleland Jnr. He’s the sort of surfer who comes out the water after a high pressure heat, opens up a beer with alcohol in it, lights up a durrie and says something like ‘I’m Mexican’ before going off to play one-up with the brus and with a cheap plastic soccerball while holding that beer and smoking that thing out of the corner of his mouth.
Also, JBay loves a power surfer.
If the waves are big at JBay, his first heat against Barron and small wave aficionado Filipe Toledo will be interesting.
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Matt McGillivray Gets Third in Newcastlle. The South Africa surfs in Heat 2 of the Quarterfinals at the Burton Automotive Newcastle Surfest on June 8, 2025 at Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
JBay surfers and former Championship Tur competitor Matt McGillivray Gets Third in Newcastle in his first Challenger Series event of the year. It bodes well for his return to the Championship Tour coming up, and a good result in Durban at the ballito Pro should see him back on tour at the elite level
Matt McGillivray Gets Third
NEWCASTLE, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 8: Matthew McGillivray of South Africa after surfing in Heat 2 of the Quarterfinals at the Burton Automotive Newcastle Surfest on JUNE 8, 2025 at Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. (Photo by Hannah Anderson/World Surf League)
More photos here
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