Molly Picklum Surfs Near-Perfect 10...with One Single Maneuver (Clip)
Sunset Beach is a tricky wave to surf.
It’s big (when there’s swell, of course), it’s shifty, sneaker sets will wash through the lineup, there’s a somewhat soft takeoff, then, when conditions allow, the wave jacks up on the reef, and pitches on the inside bowl section for a potential tube.
Temperamental. Maybe that's an appropriate way to describe the wave. And so, although perhaps not as inherently exciting as Pipeline, the Sunset Beach Pro on the World Surf League’s Championship Tour can summon some unpredictable, crazy moments.
One of which went down on Wednesday, February 21st, which was finals day for the men's and women's divisions. But before the final for the women, in the semifinals, young Aussie surfer Molly Picklum laid down the turn of the event…maybe even the decade.
It was a single hack. A late, committed, wildly progressive chip off the lip. The board disengaging on the way back down. Molly freefalling. Then…she stomps it.
The score?
A 9.67.
For one single maneuver.
It’s not the first time that there’s been some crazy, high-scoring single maneuvers in competition at Sunset Beach. There was, of course, Gabriel Medina’s potential “best floater of all time” at the wave back in 2015. For that, the Brazilian scored an 8.77.
As for Picklum’s pickaxe carve, here’s what folks were saying on the socials:
“How is that not a 10?”
“Gosh, judges really got a tight grip on those Yeti coolers…”
“Pickles is a beast.”
“In my opinion the gnarliest turn I have ever seen in female surfing competition. I would have given it a 10.”
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