2025 WSL Finals Fiji
2025 WSL Finals Fiji
It took a while to get going, with a few very underwhelming heats in what threatened to be a cold fish in a wet sock of a Finals Day, but once Cloudbreak cleared her throat and started singing, then roaring, it turned into a fitting finale for the concept.
Some inexplicably bad performances, notably from Jack Robinson who crowns a dismal Finals Day record with a fourth straight exit without a single heat win.
In head high to just overhead Cloudbreak, slow and sleepy sure, but still high performance, he attempted seven waves for a single make and heat total of 5.83. Beaten in 2022 by Italo, 2023 by Joao, 2024 by Italo, and now Italo again in 2025 after this epic choke, the whole zen shaman mindset will need a complete refresh. Jack imploded, choked, melted down - choose your own description for a completely inept performance.
Yes, Italo had an advantage with the air game but it was like Team Robinson had zero plan to counter. Did they not foresee a heat or two in sleepy, building surf before the swell filled in and have a plan to go high performance? It was like watching a petulant toddler who wants ice cream throwing his broccoli all over the floor because he didn't like the taste. As a text message incoming from a mate stated: “there ain't enough self-help books or affirmations ever writ to help him through that."
Jack (WSL/Miers)
Italo was riding high from the momentum of that win, with judges paying airs, right into the match-up with Colapinto. He continued on with the plan, and to be fair, it was a good plan. His ensuing heat total would have got him past Jordy Smith in the next heat. Pump across a whole wave, usually a mid-sizer on the inside and launch a big air. It was unpretty, even by Italo's standards, and it drew a classic response from Griff. Three big, perfectly timed turns with fin drifts up and over the lip.
Griff explained later, after repeating that dose for two excellent rides, that it was a conscious strategy. He could hold a long bottom turn and pick the timing. He described his performance, and the chance of a world title as a case of “divine timing”. Implying that if it was his time, it would happen. I know it's all rehashed new age therapy speak but this Guru Griffin is not an unlikeable figure. “Big things come with being a World Champ," he explained, “there's a lot expected of you”. As far as surfing goes, there couldn't be much expectation he hasn't fulfilled, especially in this calendar year 2025.
Griff (WSL/Sloane)
On the women's side of the draw it was Caz Marks making a run from fifth position. She didn't get much opposition. Bettylou Sakura Jonson started way up the reef and just looked completely lost. Her first wave she stood still as a statue waiting for something to happen while a rippable wall funnelled perfectly down the reef above her. In all, a measly 5-point heat total didn't require much from Caz to overcome and she surfed as she has all year. Sharp, fast, but utterly risk free. Speed snaps, turns off the fins and a finish.
If the judges all year had been sending a message to Marks that her surfing was barely making the good range, let alone excellent, she had no intention of upping the ante for Finals Day.
Caity Simmers offered a slightly stiffer challenge, making double figures at least with a couple of quality hooks. That did produce the best surfing we saw from Caz all day with a 7.67 and a 6.93 - but she still never looked close to converting one of the glassy overhead lefts into an excellent score.
Caity (WSL/Sloane)
Her next opponent, Gabby Bryan, No 2 in the world, with three event wins, looked like a bank teller on holiday, having their first surf at Cloudy after a night on cheap cocktails. No idea where to sit, or what waves to catch, or what to do on the ones she did get. Caz responded in kind with a mid-6 and a low-7. It was very uninspiring stuff.
'Does it matter?' Asked some of the commentariat. 'She is winning, she has a Title. Who cares if she wins with a mediocre performance?' She's smart to do just enough to get through, goes that line of thinking.
Yeah, nah. It's always mattered. We remember the Titles and the heady rivalries of yore - Andy and Kelly at Pipe, Kelly at Cloudy - for the performances and the way they lifted the bar. That is what glows through history as an unquenchable fire. Not 5's and 6's and safety surfing. It's about what can be done, in absolute terms, not just against inept or hapless opponents. Not a single ride of Caz from today will be remembered in six months time.
I recently watched a doco of Luke Egan winning G-Land in 1997. It was a memorable performance, and his words after were just as memorable. 'Give us these perfect waves', he said, 'and we will blow your minds. We will justify our existence by showing you what is possible'. I'm paraphrasing, but that is the gist of it. Marks needs to spend some time with her coach reflecting on that sentiment. Every perfect wave you ride as a pro surfer should have an 8 or better on the scorecard or you haven't done your job properly. You're disrespecting the sport and you're disrespecting the audience.
Caroline (WSL/Sloane)
The swell was filling in as Jordy and Griff took to the water. Griff's opener was fire. Yet judges doused it by giving it a 6.17. His ride after next was clearly excellent but again judges lowballed with a 7.83. Perhaps they wanted to keep bru in the contest? If so, he justified their faith by slicing up a big set wave then throwing down a floater across the shallow shish kebab section for an 8.67.
It was a wave that Griff had handed to him by squandering priority. “I got too comfy,” he said later, “and caught an average wave."
Every Indo-Pacific surfer understands viscerally the hallucinogenic property of long sessions on outer reefs. The countless morphing shades of blue, the shifting colours of coral bottom, wind and crazy, insane beauty of a deep tube over shallow reef. It puts you into an altered state. Griff was clearly in that state- burying Jordy with another 7.6 and then describing the experience as being like a “crazy Ayuhausca journey,” before quickly adding to soothe prudish American sensibilities, “but I've never done that."
Jordy (WSL/Miers)
In a flash, it was time for the yellow jerseys to emerge from their floating chrysalises to see whether the butterflies of world champions had emerged. Molly did not come out fully formed.
She flapped with ill-formed wings, went over the falls, surfed with nervousness and hesitation. Chased barrels that weren't there. It sent the hearts of Australian sports fans into spasmodic beats. The blood pumped in our temples in thick, uneven slugs. God, surely Pickles wasn't going to choke..?
Caz did what she did all event, laid down two solid, unspectacular rides for a heat total of 12.50. Pickles could only muster two 5's so it was going to the best of three.
Yago didn't emerge as a butterfly. He was more like one of those angry yellow hornets. He attacked his first wave with a peculiar ferocity; with an almost uncharacteristic aggression. One big full rail gaff and a hard late hit on a closeout for a 7.33 showed the intent was there. The execution was on point. No nerves, no adrenalin dump frailty like Molly.
Yago (WSL/Sloane)
If my theory of pro surfing holds true, we remember the performances, and this one will linger. His best wave he gouged the absolute guts out of. The score only slightly tempered by the fact it didn't offer enough resistance to the choreographed assault. It was pumping now too. Sets of 6 and 8 foot pouring through the lineup. Winds swinging from variable back to trade. Challenging and rippable - the kind of canvas we'd dreamed of all year for the Finals Day to be held in.
Griff did not submit. Although he admitted later that because Yago had finished ahead and would have technically won the title he struggled with a sense of “deserving the title”. He didn't show signs of that in the water. Six waves ridden in his first heat, eleven in the second and then thirteen attempts in the Final. This was a brilliant sustained performance from Griff. With a minute to go, he went over the falls selling Yago on a wave then somehow manufactured another opportunity for himself as the buzzer sounded. Needing a 9, he just failed to emerge from a deep tube that would have given judges conniptions if forced to adjudicate on.
Griff (WSL/Miers)
They got the two right guys in the Final and Yago walks away deserved World Champion after a brilliant year and a performance of composed aggression in the Finals.
Building surf suited Molly. She's more comfortable when it's heaving than any woman on tour, bar Erin Brooks. All of a sudden, Caz seemed to shrink away, almost disappearing as the heat went on. Molly rode waves at will and once she got the first ride down, improved wave by wave. It was an easy heat win. Completely non-competitive. Caz just was not there for it. Even if she had been, nothing she had done all day or all year suggested she could match Pickles.
Molly (WSL/Sloane)
The third heat followed the template of the second. Molly having established full dominance almost surfed a free-surfing heat. She went up and across the lip in high risk closeouts. She got barrelled, she went upside down on backhand hooks. It was an even more uncompetitive heat - 16.93 played 6.24. She almost tripled her score. It was gratifying on so many levels, but most of all in terms of the way Molly showed how Cloudbreak could be and should be surfed. None of the women all day had even come close to that.
Another deserving World Title winner, maybe even moreso than Yago because Molly dominated all year. The depth of womens surfing will be tested over the next year as the roster expands. Inadequate skill sets will be ruthlessly exposed, as they were at Cloudbreak today. Women pro surfers and their support teams are going to have to level up and fast. The age of excuses has passed. Everyone now knows the schedule and where the level is at.
Molly (WSL/Sloane)
Farewell Final 5. I shall miss you. The end of the relationship seems too brutal after getting a glimpse of the potential of it today. Nonetheless, we go back, as Amy Winehouse said to our old same safe bet. Such is life I suppose, until the next convulsion of pro surfing takes place.
Now for the longest off-season in professional sport. Only a rare few deserve it.
// STEVE SHEARER
Comments
Sadly, dldn't see one wave ridden and caught up in snippets from the running commentary (thankyou Swellnetters), however, sounds like the right two got the silverware.
Little disappointing for Jordy. I reckon this was pretty much his last crack at a title. Don't think he has another in him. Yago, definitely a worthy winner.
If Caz Marks had have got up for whatever reason, it would have been a pretty bitter pill to swallow. I don't find her surfing particularly inspiring. Onya Molly.
Both deserving winners and can't wait for it to go back to "normal programming". Personally Yago was clearly the best surfer all year and imo is the most well rounded surfer and world champ to come out of Brazil. Best style, best turns and best airs. My opinion. Might not be a popular one.....can ride a tube too.
Molly miles ahead of most women on tour when it gets over head. Well done Pickles
Pretty much summed up what I was going to say jasper.
Stoked for Yago, smooth as silk to watch. Chargers, rips small waves, and just seems like a good fella.
And super stoked for Pickles, she's been on fire all year. Hopefully the first of many!
And thanks Steve for the re-caps, often get more enjoyment reading them than watching the contests, good work.
Also, Griffs the real deal hey, He's insane to watch.
Thanks for the coverage FR, hope you score some waves in the downtime.
It was a beautiful thing to see the top seeds stay on top with commanding presence, it felt fair. Yago is a surfer anyone can get behind and it was awesome to see him grab the opportunity with both hands.
Go Molly - what a win, you’re fricken hardcore.
Thanks Steve all year for your analytically precise, very well-worded and, at times funny, contest reports. Agree with most everything you wrote in this last report for the year. Except I won't be missing the Final Five finals concept. You and others can label me an old purist, traditionalist or whatever, I don't care. Instead, and I will say this again, I am glad this Elo farce is over! Am really looking forward to next year and a proper Pipe finish. Serious lefts and rights on offer, nobody disadvantaged by stance, and all of them, their skills and bravery properly challenged, as every would-be world champ should be to earn the title. The North Shore is the ultimate conclusion to a World Championship Tour. If the WSL can eventually get Sunset on Haleiwa back on the WCT, with the Triple Crown reinstated, I'd gladly pay to watch it every year. Cheers.
Congratulations to Molly and Yago they have both an absolute pleasure to watch all year, as soon as Yago got gold in J-bay I knew it was wraps . Molly had a lot of competition to overcome thru Gab and Caity and she pulled it
Thanks Steve, another yellow jersey season from yourself, always a pleasurable read mate, stellar stuff. Thanks Swellnet and everyone in the live chats too. Another odd season, JBay and Teahupo'o my highlights, ending with the correct results. The Champions and Griff ripped.
Sick photos of Caity and Yago above.
Like Zen, I saw very little today. Unfortunate day tied up with serious work meetings and caught snippets of the chat when I could. Stoked for Molly and agree wholeheartedly on Caz Marks mediocrity and the comparison with Luke Egan. I've enjoyed your writings all year Freeride and loved the line "it was time for the yellow jerseys to emerge from their floating chrysalises to see whether the butterflies of world champions had emerged. Molly did not come out fully formed". That is writing of the highest order and I salute you Freeride
Agree, that is an excellent piece of writing. I also couldn’t stop laughing at the “bank teller on holiday” comment. So apt.
Wow, you really laid it on Jack Robinson's performance, just wasn't his day maybe.
Typical media taint on a great Aussie dude who puts in 100%.
The format and whole WSL show is very ordinary.
Let's hope they can resurrect the real show once again.
what was it, 7 waves caught, 1 ridden.. we all share the disappointment, but, yeh..
The whole Zen Sharman crap that most surf media crap on about is ...well crap. I don't blame jack for that, I blame media crew like Jed etc. that are so far up the asses of anyone that has a sticker on their board or anyone involved in the surf industry (and Tulsi)
Jack gets in his own head regularly and these people are not helping him in any way.
Shit, If people/friends started telling me I have some sort of mystical power conjuring barrels at a thought heck after a while I would start to wonder..."do I ?", It isn't healthy.
He is an amazing surfer and easily the best tube rider on tour but he don't need any extra head noise that's for sure.
Mollys never give up attitude was the stuff champions are made of......
Just like poo-man, I was taken by that "not fully formed" line. Brilliant.
Turned into quite a day, especially thanks to Griff, Yago and Pickles. Two very worthy winners, and big shots fired from Griff.
Somehow the Wozzle managed to fluff their lines again and cut to empty ads in the middle of finals. Unbelievable amateur stuff. But how good is that photo of Caity!
Nice one Steve, great writing as usual. Happy to see both winners, feels right.
great wrap steve- one of my fav’s actually, and nailed to a tee!!
yago was great and deserving- jordy’s floater tho…. that was fine work!!
and what can we say about molly - in terms of aussie pride it was up there with joel for me - what a true trailblazer she is- setting a standard that few are even in the hunt for
…. ‘unpretty’ is a choice word!!!
thx sn- it is an unfairly long break now
Well, all I can say is that I am glad to read this. After all the hype and Wozzle buildup-bullshite, the comp was underwhelming and anticlimatic. Forget zen! If I was Jack, I woulda been pulling a GOAT card and telling the powers that be to HOLD! The writing makes me feel like I shoulda stayed up though... gold all year. Glad Molly and Yago won, but man, thanking god... for tha life of me! Faark.
Lots of great moments through the day, but the best of them was Yago's first wave.
Molly had just capitulated so we were aware how nervous energy can build in the yellow jersey, but from the moment his feet hit the wax Yago attacked with swagger.
Argree Stu.
On his opening wave Yago took it to a higher level than I expected of him.
It was his to lose after that.
Swagger ideed.
A worthy champ.
that first pic is a gem!!
Pure elation. Our newest Golden Girl.
What a star! Real deal world champ.
The photo on the back of the ski is an absolute classic
not that i disagree with the result, but you're way too (unfairly) critical of caz's performance today. imo you watched a different final five - she ran a train through everyone, incl the first heat against pickles. psyched pickles ended up winning but disagree wholeheartedly with your estimation of caz, today.
Agree to disagree. But a train?
As a goofyfoot in reefbreak lefts without a single excellent ride where only one of her opponents offered up a double digit scoreline?
And the first time someone offered opposition she completely melted and got severely comboed twice?
Thats not a world title wining performance in any sporting universe I can think of.
Her surfing reminded me of Joey Buran from the late 1970s, it was that basic.
I'd say Caz was cooked in her final two heats to be fair after already surfing 4 heats.
She did well but the formula has been well played out. Cut a lot of turns short and looked like tour veteran clocking in a tradesman like performance. Rock solid, yes. But miles apart once Molly turned on the switch.
I guess riding a train is kind of a safe, boring and predictable mode of transport for people. Nice analogy.
Great outcome for both champs, Ryan Crosby will sleep easy tonight. Loved the Gabby Bryan bank teller line. Thanks for a great season Steve and all of the Swellnet crew, the daily wraps and live chats have been a lot of fun.
I’m looking forward to going back to the traditional format, although making pipe count for double points is potentially a genius move, and should make it come down to the wire next year.
Keep the final 5 on as a standalone comp, without it crowning the world champ, and the woz will be styling.
Molly was the best surfer, deserved the win.
Marks was the outstanding performer of the day. 6 heats and fell short against Molly who surfed 3 heats. Took the first heat off Molly who had to come from behind to win.
Yet, apparently Marks only won her place in the finals because no real competition from her first 3 heats.
Molly surfed better in the finals but Marks was spent and had very little to offer. The current format makes it nearly impossible for someone to win 5 heats in a row and win the championship. That said, Marks nearly did yet gets about zero recognition for her efforts.
Cheers Steve.. awesome season writeups .
So aside from Carissa’s melts, in the whole final 5 experiment, the top surfer took the chocolates in the end didn’t they?
Kind of feels like a bit of a waste, to me validates the old (come new) system. Final 5 is kind of brutal, one shot you buggar it and that’s it.
The season was pretty good in parts, but I’ve become less of a pro surfing fan this year, anyone else feel that way?
……..can’t quite put my finger on it.
Agree. Sort of. I still have Carissa and Steph on 7 titles each. 22/23 don’t do justice to Carissa’s dominance.
WSL want equality with a parallel comp but continue to shelter the women from the bigger swells. A larger field next yr won’t help imo considering only a few pushing progressive surfing on the women’s side. Some opinion from the WSL commentary in place of the standard 100% (flick) style rhetoric that is pushed every comp.
Aside from that today crowned 2 deserving winners.
Agree. Sort of. I still have Carissa and Steph on 7 titles each. 22/23 don’t do justice to Carissa’s dominance.
WSL want equality with a parallel comp but continue to shelter the women from the bigger swells. A larger field next yr won’t help imo considering only a few pushing progressive surfing on the women’s side. Some opinion from the WSL commentary in place of the standard 100% (flick) style rhetoric that is pushed every comp.
Aside from that today crowned 2 deserving winners.
After reading Roadkills post above and reflecting upon my own, I was a bit harsh.
What I was clumsily trying to say, based over the year, Molly has shown consistently the go for broke surfing that lifts the sport up. Caz is a great girl and great surfer but she doesn't have the 'wow' that Molly has so overall, glad she won. Runner up is stlll a pretty good showing and hope Caz uses this to inspire her to improve.
"Every perfect wave you ride as a pro surfer should have an 8 or better on the scorecard or you haven't done your job properly"
Maybe the WSL can make (and sell) t-shirts with this quote -
the luke egan paraphrase on the back..
Met Luke in peniche after traveling with his brother in law through Portugal. We were sharing a tent and sleeping on our 3/2 steamers at a campground near the comp for 1 euro a night. We were looking for cheap boards. Luke come over and offered us one of parkos repaired smashed up boards for 170 euro after a tantrum from bombing out of Hossegor. Thanks for the mates rates Luke. Stick today up ya jumper. Go Molly!
Met Luke in peniche after traveling with his brother in law through Portugal. We were sharing a tent on our 3/2 steamers at a campground near the comp for 1 euro a night. We were looking for cheap boards. Luke come over and offered us one of parkos repaired smashed up boards for 170 euro after a tantrum from bombing out of Hossegor. Thanks for the mates rates Luke. Stick today up ya jumper. Go Molly!
Met Luke in peniche after traveling with his brother in law through Portugal. We were sharing a tent on our 3/2 steamers at a campground near the comp for 1 euro a night. We were looking for cheap boards. Luke come over and offered us one of parkos repaired smashed up boards for 170 euro after a tantrum from bombing out of Hossegor. Thanks for the mates rates Luke. Stick today up ya jumper. Go Molly!
Met Luke in peniche after traveling with his brother in law through Portugal. We were sharing a tent on our 3/2 steamers at a campground near the comp for 1 euro a night. We were looking for cheap boards. Luke come over and offered us one of parkos repaired smashed up boards for 170 euro after a tantrum from bombing out of Hossegor. Thanks for the mates rates Luke. Stick today up ya jumper. Go Molly!
Met Luke in peniche after traveling with his brother in law through Portugal. We were sharing a tent on our 3/2 steamers at a campground near the comp for 1 euro a night. We were looking for cheap boards. Luke come over and offered us one of parkos repaired smashed up boards for 170 euro after a tantrum from bombing out of Hossegor. Thanks for the mates rates Luke. Stick today up ya jumper. Go Molly!
Any thoughts on whether they kicked off too early? I know they were worried about the wind but it looked ok in the end. Plenty of daylight left and swell still rising. Jack definitely hampered by an early start before swell filled in. But he still didn't fire a shot.
Thanks Steve and surfers for some great performances this year.
Shame the waves were shimidling & lacking holy hollow time travelling tunnels.
Wish they had spread the finals over two days of grunt when the swell kicked in, according to the WSL surf forecasters. Surfline forecast is double overhead Tuesday & Wednesday... must be an expensive circus to run out of gas before leaving paradise back to MAGA Vegas.
Crow can sing like a magpie
https://www.surfline.com/surf-report/cloudbreak/5842041f4e65fad6a7708dc5
Just a thought, is the secret Brazilian weapon their faith??
You won't find a more secular person than me, but it seems to me that the Griffs and the Jacks work so hard to foster the mindset that the Brazilians get for free from their faith.
No!
No. Yago didn’t mention god once in his post-heat interview with Blakey, nor did he mention Jesus or make any other reference to Religion. Seems like a great bloke and a deserving WC.
Just a thought, is the secret Brazilian weapon their faith??
You won't find a more secular person than me, but it seems to me that the Griffs and the Jacks work so hard to foster the mindset that the Brazilians get for free from their faith.
Oh, but now that you repeat it.
NO.
Cobwebs cloud clarity, faith finds focus?
Concur with others regarding the butterfly analogy, great writeup Steve, going to be an extra-long season without your wraps. Stoked that Yago & Molly were rightfully crowned world champs, though would love to have seen Jordy win. Will now go down as one of the best, like Taj & possibly Jules to never win a crown.
As for the final 5 format, I'm more in the camp of first past the line, won't be sorry to see it go, though for the most part, it has been entertaining.
Free tip from the film legend Jack McCoy (RIP) & Speilberg for the WSL sponsor.... more pure action combined with great music next year... less talky wannabe
"music can express what inter-galactical words couldn’t say. The visitors from other galaxies could share ideas with humans in the glorious ending of Close Encounters, when the mothership sings in a common language, with the help of a tuba and synthesizers."
https://goldenglobes.com/articles/50-years-cinema-and-music-conversation...
There are 1000s of fantastic musicans, composers, music engineers & artistic types deserving exposure & expanding the universe of consciences (like deva Darwinians)
Leave the babble for the rabble as a lingistic subtitle ( or with random Monty Python jokes to keep them laughing between set waves & adverts)
That was fun, overall.
But mainly because the two best surfers won.
Caz is workmanlike, but with Molly and Caity in the field shouldn’t get a look-in.
The best surfers won.
The commentariats resort to the use of ‘choke’ Is a little misplaced, in my opinion. Perhaps if there were more golfers in the group they would understand ‘choke’ a bit better. In golf, 2 out of 3, or 7 out of 8, of your games could be categorised as a choke, but they aren’t.
Fil is the only guy of recent surfing history who has genuinely choked. The rest are just having bad days.
I’ve played almost every sport. Only golf and surfing have such large margins between your best and your worst. They are the only two sports I still pursue. They are the two hardest sports I have tried. Perfection is impossible, and merely good is a triumph.
Those of you who haven’t indulged in multiple sports just throw out the choke word a little too liberally. In. My. Opinion.
Thanks FR76. Another great write up. Last year your articles were my only interest in anything WSL related and I have to admit that this year it was interesting (your articles are always interesting, WSL in recent years not so much). Yago and Griff had me frothing, but Molly’s second and third heats were an absolute statement by the new World Champion. Congratulations Pickles.
Thanks for the write up Steve, and to all for the banter in the forum.
As many of you have realised, or will come to realise, the internet is a cesspit of largely uninformed opinion overwhelming the sensible few, who have largely ejected. It will only get worse.
Even swellnet forums are no-go zones for me now. The Russian bot named Sypkan and those who haven’t worked out he is a bot are still in there.
Commentary on the actual comp is the last vestige of sanity.
Except for Roadkill, who doesn’t like Jack.
We hear you Roadkill.
"Every perfect wave you ride as a pro surfer should have an 8 or better on the scorecard or you haven't done your job properly."
To be fair to Marks, there weren't really any "perfect" waves on offer today. At least not the heats I got to see before work.
Farewell to the final 5. I think the biggest thing the tour needs whatever the format is a few years with decent swell throughout the year. They have had pretty bad luck the past few years and I reckon the lack of memorable comps is down to that.
It's time to roll our sleeves up for the last two stops of the CS. I wish us all luck.
I'm stoked for Molly.
One thing that's awesome about live sport is seeing a winner and loser who both care. The thrill and devastation brings some kind of perverse pleasure to watch. Maybe it gives us permission to get emotionally invested when it's clear the competitors are.
While Caroline doesn't risk it on every turn, the fact that she consistently does enough to win shows it means something to her. She cares a lot about winning the title. So even though Molly won pretty easily in the end, it's surely a satisfying win knowing that her final rival had given everything required on the day and through the year.