(Reuters) -Australia's Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum put on backhand tube-riding clinics to win the Lexus Tahiti Pro in pumping surf on Wednesday, cementing their places in the world championship finals to be held in Fiji later this month.
The final event of the regular season, held at the Paris 2024 Olympic venue of Teahupo'o, provided high drama in the championship race and in the water, with beautifully groomed and well overhead barrels throughout the competition.
Robinson, the Paris Games silver medallist, needed to win the entire event to force his way into the World Surf League's season finale in Fiji.
He got off to the perfect start in the title heat against California's Griffin Colapinto, threading a long, deep barrel for a near-perfect 9.5 out of 10 on his first wave.
Colapinto replied with an excellent 8.0 of his own speedy tube, but Robinson quickly backed up his first score with a 7.40 to finish with a two-wave total of 16.90 out of 20 to Colapinto's 13.67.
"We're right where we're meant to be," Robinson said in the channel, hugging his wife and young son. "Very blessed and very blessed to be going to Fiji."
Both Robinson and Colapinto had starred during a massive swell in the warm-up period for the Tahiti event and carried that form, racking up some of highest scores of the competition on their roads to the final.
Picklum was also on a heater throughout the event, scoring seven excellent waves of eight points or more, including three in the final against California's Caitlin Simmers.
"It was sick. Honestly, it was so nice to just make a couple of waves and not get so flogged. I felt like I earned my stripes this event," the 22-year-old said after her second win of the season.
"I'm so stoked. Like, what a special place Tahiti is."
Simmers also charged hard in the final, as she had done all event, but failed to make her waves and took some heavy beatings, needing to sit in the channel at one point to gather herself.
Picklum finished with a two wave total of 17.26 out of a possible 20, while Simmers ended with 4.94 points.
The top five men and women surfers will now compete in the World Surf League's one-day, winner-takes-all Finals later this month in Fiji - another powerful, left-hand reef break.
2025 WSL FINALISTS
MEN
Yago Dora (Brazil)
Jordy Smith (South Africa)
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Jack Robinson (Australia)
Italo Ferreira (Brazil)
WOMEN
Molly Picklum (Australia)
Gabriela Bryan (Hawaii)
Caitlin Simmers (USA)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Bettylou Sakura Johnson (Hawaii)
(Reporting by Lincoln Feast in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
