By Dan Walsh
Molly Picklum can take a couple of giant strides toward a maiden world title courtesy of one of surfing’s hottest talents – a 17-year-old, backflipping Canadian – and one of the sport’s most unfortunate and relatable moments.
Picklum has qualified for next month’s WSL Finals in California after a narrow quarter-final win over French veteran Johanne Defay in Friday’s Fiji Pro.
Erin Brooks takes flight in a wave pool in Waco, Texas.
She will now face Erin Brooks in the semi-finals, the teen wildcard renowned for her aerial manoeuvres – including a wave pool backflip at age 15 – and regarded as one of surfing’s most promising young talents.
Olympic silver medallist Jack Robinson has also earned his third straight finals appearance with a heart-stopping heat win of his own, but deteriorating conditions saw his and compatriot Ethan Ewing’s quarter-finals called off.
Whoever has the better event between Ewing and Brazilian Yago Dora will claim the fifth and last finals spot in the men’s draw.
Four straight quarter-final losses dating back to April for Picklum, meanwhile, had put her strong start to the WCT season in danger of being all for nought as she and Defay both surfed to keep their campaigns alive.
Frenchwoman Johanne Defay was left stranded on the Cloudbreak reef with her season on the line.Credit: World Surf League via Getty Images
Picklum prevailed 13.73 to 13.13 in four-foot Cloudbreak peaks as Defay was washed into the razor sharp reef with six minutes left in their heat.
Defay spent several minutes slowly picking her way across the shallow reef as her season ticked down in a scene every surfer – professional or otherwise – can relate to.
The buzzer then sounded without another wave surfed, sealing Picklum’s progression and leaving Defay relying on other results to stay in fifth place.
“I’ve really been struggling, getting stuck in the quarters and Johanne’s an incredible surfer, she got me in the Olympics and sent me home so coming up against her I really did want to put my best foot forward,” Picklum said. “To clinch that finals spot and have it finalised, I’m stoked.”
Molly Picklum is through to the WSL Finals in California next month.Credit: World Surf League via Getty Images
Picklum now has a chance to climb as high as second in the overall seedings if she can take out the Fiji Pro - a crucial advantage in the annual one-day, winner-takes-all finals event.
The WSL’s final five format pitches men’s and women’s surfers into sudden death fifth v fourth seed match-ups, with the winner of that heat then taking on the season’s third place finisher and so on.
The format naturally hands a significant advantage to world No.1s John John Florence and Caitlin Simmers, who cannot surrender their poll positions despite surprise early exits in Fiji.
Picklum currently sits fourth in the rankings, but a win over Brooks – who knocked Simmers out with a quarter-final upset in her first WCT event – would lift Picklum to third place.
If Picklum, 21, claims a tournament win she would also move past Olympic gold medallist and defending world champion Caroline Marks into second in the rankings.
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