Clean sweep for Aussie surfers at Sunset Beach as Molly Picklum wins back-to-back and Jack Robinson takes title

In a clean sweep for Australian surfing, NSW surfer Molly Picklum has defended her title at the Sunset Beach Pro in Hawaii while WA’s Jack Robinson has taken top spot in the men’s.

Picklum said going up against another 21-year-old in Hawaiian local Bettylou Sakura Johnson in what has been described as a generational shift for women’s surfing was “pretty incredible”. 

“We’ll look back and realise how big this moment is and the push [for women] that we’re doing right now,” she said.

Western Australia’s Jack Robinson, 26, beat Japan’s Konoa Igarashi to take out the top spot in the men’s titles, and is now ranked world number two.

Robinson scored a near-perfect 9.87 for his best wave in the final.

“I’m super stoked and grateful for this moment,” he said.

“Thank you, Sunset.”

A near 10-point ride

Picklum, who is now world number one in the women’s rankings, scored an impressive 9.67 wave in today’s semifinal.

“I threw everything at it and kind of fell out of the sky,” she said.

Picklum became the first woman to get a perfect 10 at the famous Pipeline break just over a week ago in the Pipe Pro semifinals, also against Johnson.

“It’s really cool that we have each other because we wouldn’t be pushing so hard if it wasn’t for each other,” she said.

After today’s win, Picklum declared she would be in for a big night of celebrating.

WSL commentator Joe Turpel said having two such young women going head-to-head was a defining moment for the sport.

“For seeing this youth charge and [just] a total generational shift.”

The third stage of the World Surf League Championship Tour will kick off in Portugal in early March before heading to Bells Beach in Victoria later that month.