Picklum returns to defend Fiji Pro title

Reigning world champion Molly Picklum returns to Fiji this week with a special connection to Cloudbreak as she prepares to defend her Fiji Pro title.

The Australian won at Cloudbreak last year before going on to claim the 2025 World Surf League women’s world title.

Picklum said Fiji remained one of her favourite stops on tour, praising its culture and the world-class waves at Cloudbreak.

“I love coming here. I love your guys' culture. It's just so warming, and it's always just a nice welcome,” Picklum said.

“Obviously, Cloudbreak is such a world-class wave, so as a surfer, it's so beautiful to be back.”

Her biggest memory came last year when she sealed the world title in Fiji.

“My best memory for sure was last year, winning the whole season here, finishing it here and being number one,” she said.

“That was an absolute moment that I'll remember for the rest of my life.”

Picklum said she was enjoying the 2026 season but believed the championship race was now entering an important stage.

“My season's been pretty fun. I've really been enjoying the dust settling after what was such a successful year last year,” she said.

“We've had some new stops like New Zealand, and there's been some really enjoyable moments, but I think now we're starting to get to a part in the season where it's time to go and make it count.”

Despite her previous success, Picklum remains wary of Cloudbreak’s power.

“I’m really humbled by the ocean. Cloudbreak's really powerful, and I think Cloudbreak doesn't let anything be a walk in the park.”

This year’s Fiji Pro features 24 women and 36 men after being moved earlier in the WSL calendar.

“There are more surfers this year because we're here earlier in the year,” Picklum said.

“Having all the tour surfers is pretty cool. It's nice to see how everyone performs, and it's obviously just epic to have everyone experience the Fiji life.”

The eighth stop of the 2026 WSL Championship Tour was called off yesterday because of small surf at Cloudbreak.

WSL vice-president of Tours and Competition Renato Hickel said a new swell was expected to build, with the next call scheduled for 7am today.

“Due to the flat conditions at Cloudbreak, we’re calling the event OFF for today,” Hickel said.

“We have very small surf, practically flat, but we're expecting this new swell to start to fill in throughout the day, especially after lunchtime, and hopefully by 5 pm or 6 p.m. today, we’ll see a couple of sets in the four-foot range."

Hickel expects bigger conditions in the coming days, with eight-to-10-foot waves forecast before conditions ease to five-to-eight feet around August 28.

Meanwhile, Fiji Surfing Association president Hannah Bennett welcomed the international field and highlighted the significance of Cloudbreak to surfing.

“To the surfers and athletes from around the world, welcome to Fiji and welcome to the best stop on tour,” Bennett said.

“Before there were rankings, rivalries and world titles, there was the ocean. And before there was Fiji Pro, there were people who knew these waters.

“People who understood the ocean not simply as a resource, but as a relative, as an ancestor, something we belong to.”

Bennett said Cloudbreak, known locally as Kurukuru Mai Lagi, had tested some of the sport’s greatest surfers.

“It doesn't know your name, your ranking, or how many championships you've won. It knows only your presence,” she said.

She also urged surfers to recognise their responsibility to protect the ocean.

“That, to me, is the true essence of surfing, but as surfers we must also accept our responsibility to be stewards.