Aussie surfers Robinson and Nichols salute at Bells
Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols have made it a double triumph for Australia with thrilling victories in the Rip Curl Pro finals at Bells Beach.
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News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Molly Picklum back in World Surf League yellow jersey as race to world title ramps Up
Australian surf star Molly Picklum is the world No.1 again after ramping up her bid for a maiden world title in Brazil. Picklum, 22, will take the yellow jersey to the next event on the World Surf League calendar at J-Bay in South Africa after advancing to the semi-finals in Brazil. The heat is rising in the race for a spot in the final five who will contest the one-day world title event and Picklum is as well placed as she could be. 'That's the best news ever,' Picklum said. 'I feel like, for me, I got the yellow jersey early on in the year for the past few years. I obviously heard all the talk of all the girls that I'm right at the top with getting knocked out, and it's obviously a great opportunity for me. 'I felt all that for sure, but ultimately, I was just using it for good and to fire me up. I'm so happy, that's sick, especially towards the end of the year. 'I want to keep pushing for sure.' Isabella Nichols is the only other Australian woman in the top five, for now, after two-time world champion Tyler Wright dropped to seventh following her quarter-final loss in Brazil. Ethan Ewing is the only Australian man in the top five, with Jack Robinson falling to number six after failing to progress beyond the elimination rounds in Brazil.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- News.com.au
South African veteran Jordy Smith and new world No.1 Gabriela Bryan take Margaret River Pro titles as Aussie Isabella Nicholls wins new car
The final two events on the WTC Australian swing failed to deliver a local winner after South African veteran Jordy Smith and new world No.1 Gabriela Bryan took out the men's and women's events at Margaret River. But Bells Beach champ Isabella Nichols flew the Aussie flag after taking out the Aussie Treble, which was awarded to the best surfer over the three Australian events, including Bells and the Gold Coast Pro. Bryan proved a destroyer of local hopes on her way to her second title of the year, ending Sally Fitzgibbons' season on Monday before the 23-year-old Hawaiian defended the title she won last year by taking down reigning world champ Caitlin Simmers in a dominant final display. 'I'm honestly speechless, I don't know what to think,' Bryan said after her win. 'I've just been surfing how I want to surf and I just can't believe it.' Smith, in his 18th season on tour, then scorched enigmatic American star Griffin Colapinto to secure only his eighth tour win, but his second in 2025, after ending an eight-year drought in El Salvador. He'll take the No.1 ranking to the next event in California next month. There were no Aussies in either final in Western Australia, the first time in the three Australian events. Nichols and Jack Robinson won at Bells, while Fitzgibbons and comeback star Julian Wilson lost finals on the Gold Coast. The effort of Nichols to secure one title, while making quarter-finals on the Gold Coast and again at Margaret River, helped secure her fourth spot on the world rankings and the Aussie Treble, which came with a new car. Nichols, Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright were the only Australian women to make the mid-season cut and will contest the rest of the season in their bid for the world title. Ethan Ewing, Robinson and Joel Vaughan made the men's cut, with four more events before the finals in Fiji in August.
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Surfers wait on Margs waves while Slater makes big call
With surfers fighting to stay on the Championship Tour, the Margaret River Pro will remain on hold for a second day in the hope of better conditions arriving. The men's field managed to complete their round of 16 on Wednesday, with local wildcard Jacob Willcox the sole Australian survivor following the shock exits of defending champion Jack Robinson and Queensland star Ethan Ewing. The Margaret River gun, who earlier eliminated top-ranked Italo Ferreira, backed it up by getting barrelled at The Box, en route to a win over another Brazilian in Joao Chianca. It's his first quarter-final appearance in seven starts in the West. Competition was moved later Wednesday back to Main Break, but the rising onshore wind and increasing swell quickly changed conditions, leading to a decision to delay the women's round of 16. The women haven't surfed since Tuesday, when Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons advanced through the elimination heats. Next in wait lies is current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan with Fitzgibbons needing at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top- 10 mid-season cut. Holding down her No.14 ranking will at least ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women's field expanding. In a stacked Aussie field, Molly Picklum, Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, who are safe above the cut-line, and local wildcard Bronte Macaulay will also contest the round of 16 with the next call early Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the WSL announced 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will return as a wildcard in the next tour stop at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California. "I'm excited to surf Lowers after having a few months of downtime with family and watching the events online," Slater said in a statement. "Trestles has been an ongoing great memory for the past 35 years since I won my first event as a professional there ... it's a second home to me. "I'm looking forward to competing as a wildcard and surf against a top seed or two straight away." The 53-year-old Slater competed as a wildcard in the first event of the 2025 season, the Pipe Pro in Hawaii. Lower Trestles has been home to the WSL Finals since 2021, with Cloudbreak in Fiji given the honour of crowning the world champions this year. It was also recently announced surfing venue for the LA 2028 Olympics. With surfers fighting to stay on the Championship Tour, the Margaret River Pro will remain on hold for a second day in the hope of better conditions arriving. The men's field managed to complete their round of 16 on Wednesday, with local wildcard Jacob Willcox the sole Australian survivor following the shock exits of defending champion Jack Robinson and Queensland star Ethan Ewing. The Margaret River gun, who earlier eliminated top-ranked Italo Ferreira, backed it up by getting barrelled at The Box, en route to a win over another Brazilian in Joao Chianca. It's his first quarter-final appearance in seven starts in the West. Competition was moved later Wednesday back to Main Break, but the rising onshore wind and increasing swell quickly changed conditions, leading to a decision to delay the women's round of 16. The women haven't surfed since Tuesday, when Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons advanced through the elimination heats. Next in wait lies is current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan with Fitzgibbons needing at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top- 10 mid-season cut. Holding down her No.14 ranking will at least ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women's field expanding. In a stacked Aussie field, Molly Picklum, Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, who are safe above the cut-line, and local wildcard Bronte Macaulay will also contest the round of 16 with the next call early Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the WSL announced 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will return as a wildcard in the next tour stop at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California. "I'm excited to surf Lowers after having a few months of downtime with family and watching the events online," Slater said in a statement. "Trestles has been an ongoing great memory for the past 35 years since I won my first event as a professional there ... it's a second home to me. "I'm looking forward to competing as a wildcard and surf against a top seed or two straight away." The 53-year-old Slater competed as a wildcard in the first event of the 2025 season, the Pipe Pro in Hawaii. Lower Trestles has been home to the WSL Finals since 2021, with Cloudbreak in Fiji given the honour of crowning the world champions this year. It was also recently announced surfing venue for the LA 2028 Olympics. With surfers fighting to stay on the Championship Tour, the Margaret River Pro will remain on hold for a second day in the hope of better conditions arriving. The men's field managed to complete their round of 16 on Wednesday, with local wildcard Jacob Willcox the sole Australian survivor following the shock exits of defending champion Jack Robinson and Queensland star Ethan Ewing. The Margaret River gun, who earlier eliminated top-ranked Italo Ferreira, backed it up by getting barrelled at The Box, en route to a win over another Brazilian in Joao Chianca. It's his first quarter-final appearance in seven starts in the West. Competition was moved later Wednesday back to Main Break, but the rising onshore wind and increasing swell quickly changed conditions, leading to a decision to delay the women's round of 16. The women haven't surfed since Tuesday, when Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons advanced through the elimination heats. Next in wait lies is current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan with Fitzgibbons needing at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top- 10 mid-season cut. Holding down her No.14 ranking will at least ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women's field expanding. In a stacked Aussie field, Molly Picklum, Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, who are safe above the cut-line, and local wildcard Bronte Macaulay will also contest the round of 16 with the next call early Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the WSL announced 11-time world champion Kelly Slater will return as a wildcard in the next tour stop at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California. "I'm excited to surf Lowers after having a few months of downtime with family and watching the events online," Slater said in a statement. "Trestles has been an ongoing great memory for the past 35 years since I won my first event as a professional there ... it's a second home to me. "I'm looking forward to competing as a wildcard and surf against a top seed or two straight away." The 53-year-old Slater competed as a wildcard in the first event of the 2025 season, the Pipe Pro in Hawaii. Lower Trestles has been home to the WSL Finals since 2021, with Cloudbreak in Fiji given the honour of crowning the world champions this year. It was also recently announced surfing venue for the LA 2028 Olympics.
