Tyler Wright (AUS) and Barron Mamiya (HAW) won the Lexus Pipe Pro Presented by YETI, the the first stop of the World Surf League (WSL) 2025 Championship Tour (CT). Wright claimed victory over Caitlin Simmers (USA), the defending winner and reigning World Champion, while the defending men’s winner, Mamiya, went back-to-back to take the win over 2023 runner-up Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA).

Clean four-to-six-foot swell was groomed by light offshore winds, favouring the longer barrels of Backdoor’s right, but opening up the occasional Pipeline bomb. Though more subdued than the previous day’s swell, the multiple heavy-hitting matches that played out across Finals Day were no less thrilling.

Wright Earns Second Victory at Pipeline, Reclaims Yellow Leader’s Jersey

Featuring in her third Final at the North Shore of O`ahu’s most notorious wave, two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) claimed her 17th CT victory today. The Australian will now enter Stop No. 2 of the 2025 CT season wearing the Yellow Leader’s Jersey, as World No. 1. Previously winning at Pipeline over five-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Carissa Moore (HAW) after the event moved from Honolua Bay at the start of the 2021 season, Wright narrowly lost to Moore in the 2023 Final. But today, Wright defeated the reigning World Champion to stand atop the podium once again.

“This is such a special win,” Wright said. “I’m always a little bit scared to love surfing because I’ve been injured so many times. It’s just one of those ones where this has been really nice. Last year, I was injured a lot more than I feel like people thought I was. So to come back and have, like, a really nice off season with my wife. It’s just, it’s so special.”

Representing distinct generations, 30-year-old Wright and 19-year-old Simmers had previously shared a Final in the 2023 Rio Pro, where Simmers took the win. The roles were reversed today, but Simmers started with an early advantage after Wright aggressively paddled for a wave and handed the younger competitor priority. Both surfers missed out on high scores after taking big falls, and it was Wright who found the first score of note after the halfway mark of the heat. That barrel at Backdoor turned out to be the defining moment of the Final and earned Wright the win.

“I think I really tried to bring in a lot more joy, and that’s what I really felt here.” Wright said. “It was so cool to have a Final with [Caitlin] Simmers out there. She’s like the queen of Pipeline to me. And absolutely awesome seeing them have like a little Backdoor shootout in the semi between Molly [Picklum] and Simmers as well.”

Throughout the day, Wright’s speedy forehand barrel technique proved to be unbeatable. The Australian previously overcame 2018 World Title runner-up Lakey Peterson (USA) in the Semifinals, the 16th head-to-head match-up for the two Tour veterans. In a rematch of the same round in 2023, Wright found a deep forehand barrel to earn an 8.67 (out of a possible 10) and the win. Wright also took a decisive Quarterfinal victory over 2023 World Champion Caroline Marks (USA). Similarly to the Final against Simmers, Marks and Wright started the match fighting hard for the first wave, with Marks gaining the advantage but unable to emerge from the fast-running Backdoor wall. Wright then stalled into a nice Backdoor section to take control of the heat, which she didn’t let up.

Simmers and Picklum Deliver Backdoor Shootout for the Ages

Simmers hands the Yellow Leader’s Jersey to Wright after holding onto it for many months. Her run on Finals Day included a Quarterfinal against her close friend and fellow Californian, Sawyer Lindblad (USA), and a rematch of the 2024 Final against Molly Picklum (AUS) that will be a guaranteed contender for heat of the year. 

The Semifinal between Simmers and Picklum immediately turned into a classic Backdoor shootout. Picklum won an aggressive fight for the opening ride, but Simmers picked off the very next wave and earned an 8.17. Picklum soon fired back with a driving barrel of her own to collect an 8.33 and the lead. Simmers, the reigning World Champion and defending event champion, responded by pumping and weaving through a long barrel before leaning into a huge grab-rail carve. The 9.50 awarded to Simmers boosted her two-wave heat total to 17.67 (out of a possible 20), both numbers the highest of the event for the women. Multiple impressive attempts from Picklum added to her scoreline, but Simmers held on to extend her unblemished record against the Australian.

“I think watching this wave from inside and out, whether you’re in the barrel or just watching it from the beach is one of the most beautiful things ever,” Simmers said. “I kind of just wish the Final was a barrel shootout, but sometimes she sleeps and the ocean definitely slept during our heat. But Tyler [Wright] is a very smart competitor and she just got the waves. Congrats to her.”

Back-to-Back Victories Place Mamiya Amongst Hawaiian Royalty

Barron Mamiya (HAW) joined Pipeline royalty when he became the sixth man to win the event back-to-back. Not since Andy Irons (HAW) did it for the second time in 2005 and 2006 has anyone been able to achieve the feat. Mamiya joins Irons and Rory Russell (HAW) as the only Hawaiians to do so. The 22-year-old has now claimed three CT wins, all earned at home on the North Shore.

“I really can’t believe it happened again, I’m super grateful.” Mamiya said. “Winning it, you know, cool, right on, you did it, it’s a big deal. But trying to do back-to-back, I feel like that cements you as one of the best ever out here. That was my goal going to this comp and I did it.”

After narrowly avoiding a buzzer-beater from Jake Marshall (USA) in the Quarterfinals, a driven Mamiya put on a clinic in the Semifinals to leave 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) needing a massive combination of scores to beat his near-perfect 18.90 heat total. Throughout every heat today, Mamiya’s two-wave totals were made up of one wave from Backdoor and one wave from Pipeline, and he put that playbook to use immediately in the Final against Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA).

Opening with an 8.17 at Pipe, Mamiya quickly earned two more scores at Backdoor, including a 9.80, all within the first six minutes of the 35 minute Final. Meanwhile, Fioravanti struggled to find a score until nearly 20 minutes into the match. But after he did, the Italian turned things around quickly. An 8.83 broke the huge combination he was under, before he found an exceptionally elongated Backdoor barrel to rival Mamiya’s high number. Needing a 9.11, Fioravanti received a 9.10, leaving the two locked on equal heat totals of 17.97. Mamiya’s higher score was the tie-breaker that sealed victory.

“Leo [Fioravanti], that was an insane Final,” Mamiya said. “For you to come back like that was crazy. But, you know, just yesterday and the heat with John [Florence]. Everything was just pretty crazy.”

Unbelievable Comeback Further Secures Fioravanti’s Status as Serious Pipe Contender

Once again proving himself as a serious Pipeline contender, Fioravanti placed runner-up for the second time after competing on his third Finals Day in a row at the venue. The 27-year-old posted six excellent scores over the course of the event, overcoming challenges from two determined Australian Rookies, George Pittar (AUS) and Joel Vaughan (AUS), along with his fellow 2017 Rookie, Ian Gouveia (BRA). Fioravanti’s comeback to equal Mamiya’s huge heat total was nothing short of heroic and the Italian leaves the North Shore of Hawai’i, where he lives part-time, holding his head high.

“I’m proud of myself and I’m stoked to be here,” Fioravanti said. “Barron [Mamiya] had me in combo, but I just thought, you know what, two Backdoor waves can do it. And needing a 9.11 and getting a 9.10, it’s tough. It’s tough, but I am very proud of myself for coming back and giving myself that chance. Congratulations to Barron. He is one of the greatest Pipe surfers of all time. I truly believe that.”
Strong Season Start for Trio of Brazilian Goofyfooters

A battle of maneuvers turned into a Backdoor barrel-fest for Brazilian goofyfooters Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Miguel Pupo (BRA) in the first men’s Quarterfinal, a steady tit-for-tat that ended in victory for Ferreira. A final exchange saw Pupo extend his lead, leaving Ferreira in need of an 8.43. But Ferreira, the 2019 World Champion, took a more critical drop on a heavier wave to edge past his 8.43 requirement with an 8.50 and secure a Semifinal berth.

More than two decades ago, Fabio Gouveia (BRA) shared eight seasons on the CT with Kelly Slater (USA) and maintained a lead in heat wins over the 11-time World Champion. Today, Fabio’s son, Ian Gouveia (BRA), defeated Slater in their first head-to-head match-up to advance to his second Semifinal at Pipeline. It was only the second time that Slater has exited in the Quarterfinals at Pipeline out of 27 times making the round. The determining moment in the heat came when Slater was unable to emerge from an extremely long Backdoor barrel. Gouveia took the following wave and found the exit to collect an 8.00 and the jersey off Slater’s back as a gift.

“To be with Kelly [Slater] in a man-to-man heat in Pipeline, it’s the biggest thing that I can ask for,” Gouveia said. “It’s unbelievable to have this opportunity.”

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