SURFING
Shelly Beach’s Molly Picklum has claimed her own small piece of history as the first woman Championship Tour (CT) competitor to win a heat at Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii, on Sunday, January 30.
At the historic birthplace of surfing, a notoriously dangerous wave break crashing on shallow water above dry coral, the Opening Round, Heat One was bravely navigated by the 19-year-old CT debutante, her win advancing her through to the upcoming Round of 16.
Surfing against world ranked #3 from southern New South Wales, Sally Fitzgibbons, and #10 from America, Courtney Conlogue, the contest became a question of who could successfully steer the clean and powerful barrel waves forming in both directions.
Early attempts from all three surfers offered no substantial results, with each often finding themselves too high up the barrel and crashing on the outside of a very fine margin for error.
At the mid-way point, a stoic attempt from Picklum on her front hand ended with a sudden knock off her board, yet the young surfer was quick to shake off the fault and try again.
Minutes later on her back hand, she landed the first successful barrel clearance, grabbing the rail to slow down and stay in the wave’s sweet spot, securing herself the heat’s high score of 5.33.
Another successful attempt on her front hand followed for a score of 2.40, bringing her two-wave total to 7.73.
Fitzgibbons was able to progress in second place thanks to her final attempt scored at 3.40, achieved right on the final buzzer.
The win for Picklum was an honest reflection of her previously stated intention to give this history-making event her best effort.
“To be part of the first women to surf at Pipeline… I think it’s incredible,” Picklum said.
“It’s where women’s surfing is heading and I’m just excited that it’s going to be exciting to watch for many years.
“It’s crazy and it’s an intimidating wave (at Banzai) for sure but I like that.
“Challenges make me excited and I’m pretty confident in my abilities and I’m just super excited to go give it a good hot crack.”
Now, both Australians are in preparation for their respective Round of 16, one-on-one showdowns: Picklum against world ranked #4 from France, Johanne Defay, and Fitzgibbons against Hawaiian, Malia Manuel.
A lay day was called for Monday, January 31 as conditions calmed ahead of an expected resurgence of North Westerly swell to follow this week.
“We are looking at more swell in the window and are going to pass on today at the Billabong Pro Pipeline,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, the World Surf League’s SVP of Tours and Head of Competition.
“Now that we’ve had those first opening rounds for men’s and women’s complete, we can start looking at the next opportunities to run those next two full days.
“Tomorrow (Tuesday February 1) is going to get bigger and then there are waves the next day, as well.
“We are going to come back tomorrow and make the call at 7:50am HST for a possible 8:02 am HST start.”
CCC