Video: 'The Greatest Heat in Women's Surf History' Just Went Down at Pipeline

Dashel Pierson
·2 min read

Women’s surfing, on the professional level, is fairly new at Pipeline.

Before 2020, the men and the women competed at separate locations for the final event of the World Surf League’s Championship Tour season. The men: Pipeline. The women: Honolua Bay. But during the 2020 Maui Pro, a tragic, fatal shark attack changed the trajectory of women’s surfing forever. Out of caution, the women moved to Pipe.

There, they have stayed. And one of the best, most ground-breaking performances just went down at the infamous “world’s deadliest wave” with Australian Molly Picklum matching up against Hawaii’s Bettylou Sakura Johnson in the semifinals.

Both surfers went blow-for-blow, with waves at Backdoor and Pipe, in sizable, proper Pipe. Then, around the 15-minute mark, Picklum locked into a beauty at Pipe. She got into it quick and easy, dropped into it clean, pulled up under the lip narrowly avoiding a guillotine, then locked in for a Pipeline tube. Spat out into glory. Perfect 10.

Comments on Picklum’s 10 on social media, folks wrote:

Related: Video: Shark Attack Changes Women’s Pro Surfing Forever

“That heat will go down in the history books as one of the all time GREATS. So inspiring watching both @picklummolly & @bettylou.sakura.johnson empower each other to go BIGGER! ❤❤❤”

“This was such an insane heat and showcase of what women can do at pipe when given the stage.”

“Insane performance”

Although she wasn't in the heat being touted as the "greatest ever," the winner of the contest, Caitlin Simmers, spoke for her peers after she took the crown:

"Pipeline is for the fucking girls!" Simmers said.

Best heat ever in women’s surf history?

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