Chasing her first world title, Molly Picklum says it will be a dream come true if she can emulate an eighth of what Australian surfing great Stephanie Gilmore achieved.
Picklum is waiting for the swell to arrive at Fiji's famous Cloudbreak, with the World Surf League crown to be decided in a one-day winner-take-all event.
Fourth-ranked Jack Robinson will fly the flag in the men's top-five shootout, with competition expected to get under way next week.
Picklum finished the season as the No.1-ranked surfer, putting her in the box seat to follow Gilmore, who won her eighth world title in 2022.
The NSW central coast star said that as a little girl she dreamed of winning just one world title, let alone eight.
"It's like that little girl inside of me started surfing to be one of those girls," Picklum said. "To go up on the list with them is like everything I've ever dreamt of. "It's funny, I've heard some people say, 'Oh, I want to be three-time world champion' and this and that, and I was like, 'Doing it once is sick'. "I'm stoked to be on that list with them, and then after that, you're like, you just love what you do, so you just keep doing it, but to do that and be on with them is such an honour."
Picklum said Australia was due another world champion, with Queenslander Ethan Ewing the most recent to challenge with a runner-up finish in 2023.
"I'm a true Aussie and I feel like I have the whole country behind me," the 22-year-old said.
"It's been a while since we brought a trophy home, and I just feel like Australia deserves it, you know, we're such a strong culture in surfing, so it'd be a dream to bring it back for us on this."
As the top seed Picklum is already in the title match and will watch the other four surfers battle for the chance to challenge her.
The finals format sees world No.5 take on the fourth seed, with the winner advancing to face No.3. That victor goes up against the second seed, with Picklum awaiting the match-three winner.
Previously a three-heat title decider, if Picklum wins the opening match-up she will be declared world champion, but if she loses the pair will surf best-of-three.
Picklum has competed in the Finals twice, in 2023 and 2024, starting as fourth seed, but has been bundled out in the opening heat.
"It's definitely different, a different situation for sure coming in number one," she said.
"It's just so different because there's nowhere near as much work to be done on the day, so I'm just focusing in on that one heat of mine, so the feelings are just so different."
Picklum is aware victory is far from assured, with Gilmore winning her way from the fifth seed to the 2022 crown, beating then world No.1 Carissa Moore in the title match.
But she arrives as the form surfer, having placed no lower than runner-up at the past four tour stops, storming to victory by getting barrelled in Tahiti in the last event earlier this month.
She said her preparation as well as the win in Tahiti gives her confidence for Cloudbreak, which is located off the island of Tavarua and is a long, fast, hollow left-hander that breaks over shallow reef. "For sure, I think it gives me confidence of how I bring the whole team, and all the vibes and everything in on land, and I think how I do that is what I get confidence from over a win,'' Picklum said. "I put myself in a situation where I was clear and free to do what I was there to do and, yeah, it was just so fun."
