Australian surfer Tyler Wright has etched her name in history, becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Pipe Pro event in Hawaii twice. Wright's victory snapped her title drought, defeating defending world champion Caitlin Simmers in a low-scoring final at Banzai Pipeline.
Wright, a two-time world champion, had previously won the inaugural women's Pipe Pro in 2020. American Simmers had triumphed in the event last year. The final saw a tense battle, with Simmers being shut down on a wave with just a minute remaining. Wright emerged victorious with a score of 7.70 to 3.94.
Wright's victory marks a significant comeback for the surfer, who finished 10th in the previous season and had not won a round of the World Surf League since the 2023 Bells Beach event. En route to the final, Wright defeated 2023 world champion Caroline Marks in the quarterfinal and dispatched American Lakey Peterson in the semifinals with a score of 15.17 to 9.83.
Meanwhile, eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater's bid for another Pipe Pro title ended in the quarterfinals of the men's event. The American legend had achieved a remarkable milestone the previous day, securing his 100th win at Pipeline.
9 Comments
Coccinella
This event was a complete disappointment. I'm switching to watching the men's competition from now on.
Muchacho
I'm excited to see what Tyler accomplishes next. She's a force to be reckoned with.
ZmeeLove
This win is a sign of great things to come for women's surfing.
Habibi
Two wins in three years? This is hardly a historic achievement.
Comandante
It's sad to see Slater's reign coming to an end. He deserved a better exit than this.
Donatello
Wright's win is only impressive because Simmers choked. Otherwise, it would be a different story.
Muchacho
Congratulations to Wright, but this win doesn't change my mind about the state of women's surfing. It needs a major shake-up.
Coccinella
Is this really the best women's surfing has to offer? I'm not impressed.
Sammmm
I'm so proud of Tyler for breaking the title drought. She's an inspiration.