Despite bowing out of the World Surf League Championship Tour Philippines Pro, 15-year-old Filipino surfer Mara Lopez walked away with something more meaningful than a victory after earning praise from none other than world No. 1 Molly Picklum.
The Australian surfing star faced the young La Union native in Round 1, Heat 5, and came away impressed by Lopez’s potential to inspire the next generation of Filipino surfers.
Lopez scored 4.50 points against Picklum’s 11.50 at the famed Cloud 9 reef break in Siargao on Sunday morning.
The Filipino wildcard recorded a 2.50-point ride on her third wave before adding 2.00 points on her fourth. Picklum, meanwhile, posted scores of 5.33 and 6.17 to secure the victory in the historic competition presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and backed by Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga, and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga.
However, the result took a back seat to a meaningful moment for Picklum, who was touched after learning that she may have been one of the inspirations behind Lopez’s decision to take up surfing.
“Maybe I’m one of her inspirations. And that stuff to me is just so special,” Picklum said, reflecting on her encounter with the young Filipino surfer.
(C) WSL
The reigning world No. 1 also had encouraging words for Lopez, praising her surfing ability and revealing that the teenager is an accomplished longboarder.
“I said to her, ‘ You’re surfing so well.’ And she’s also an A-one longboarder,” the Australian star said.
Beyond recognizing Lopez’s talent, Picklum expressed confidence that the young Filipina could become a role model for aspiring surfers across the country.
“Either way, she’s going to inspire the next generation, which is just so cool,” she added.
Picklum also expressed admiration for Siargao’s close-knit surfing community, highlighting how the small island has developed a strong culture around the sport.
“Siargao is such a small island, and they have such a strong surfing community. So that was really cool,” Picklum said.
Although Lopez’s campaign ended in the opening round, her experience competing against one of the sport’s biggest stars offered a valuable opportunity to learn and grow. More importantly, Picklum’s praise provided a significant vote of confidence in the teenager’s potential to make her mark on the international surfing scene.
Also backing the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, and NEA/SIARELCO.
