Reigning champion Picklum takes first win of the season in Portugal tubefest

Oct 23 - Australia's reigning world champion Molly Picklum won the Portugal Pro in thumping tubes on Friday, claiming her first victory of the year and jumping to the top of the rankings with just two events of surfing's world tour remaining.

California's Griffin Colapinto scored a near-perfect barrel to come from behind and claim the win over Brazil's Gabriel Medina in the men's final, notching up his third victory at the powerful Portuguese beach break of Supertubos.

Picklum has had a strong if not spectacular season after winning her first world title in Fiji last year, but had made only one final and set her sights on securing a win in Portugal ahead of the season finale in Hawaii in December.

"It was a dream of mine to win here," the 23-year-old said. "Portugal is like the cross between the Brazilian energy and Pipeline. Those are two of my favourite things.

"I’m really happy to hit my stride at the right time. We work so hard and not many people get to win, but I’m so stoked to get my win this year.”

Up against California's 2024 world champion Caitlin Simmers in the final, Picklum slipped behind in the early exchanges before locking into a deep, overhead tube on her backhand that scored 7.83 out of 10 and gave her the lead. Simmers threaded some nice tubes of her own but ended with a two-wave total of 12.84 to Picklum's 13.33.

Colapinto, 28, has developed a special relationship with the powerful, punchy tubes around the seaside town of Peniche, securing event wins in 2022, 2024 and now 2026.

He started strongly in the final, hustling Medina for the first wave, pulling into a deep barrel on his forehand and finishing it strongly. He scored an excellent 8.17 and backed it up quickly with a similar wave to pile the pressure on Medina.

But Brazil's three-time world champion responded with an incredible barrel of his own on his backhand, squeezing out when all hope seemed lost, then took the lead with another long tube.

Needing something special, Colapinto found a gem on his backhand, disappearing behind the curtain for the entire wave and emerging near the packed crowd on the beach for a 9.43 out of a possible 10 and a lead he held until the clock ran out.

“That’s the dream. How good were the waves out there?” said Colapinto, who climbed to third in the rankings after his win. “The battle with Gabriel was unreal ... Portugal has a big place in my heart."

The tour heads next to a new stop in the Philippines before the last event of the year at Pipeline, where 1.5 times points will be on offer. REUTERS