Molly in Pickle. “Women should stop feeling restricted. dream as much as you can.”

When we ask Molly Picklum the reasons for our presence in the halls of the MH Peniche Hotel in Portugal, the surfer answers with humor: At 21, the Aussie has seen her elders fight for the place they deserved, and with her it’s the momentum of an entire generation that’s unapologetic about achieving what we feel. During this third round of professional surfing, Frenchwoman Johann Defay finally won. This victory does not prevent Molly Piklum from remaining on the first place of the temporary general classification. After challenging the elite of Australian surfers (Sally Fitzgibbons, Stephanie Gilmore and Isabella Nicholls), she qualified for the 2024 Olympics last year with her sister Tyler Wright.

Molly Picklum grew up with parents who loved the beach but didn’t surf. It was thanks to his mother’s boyfriend (he had separated from his father when he was young) that he started surfing. He is a discipline coach, he trains next to him. He then won titles, particularly the title of Australian champion, and became the new favorite of the country. When asked how he envisions himself at 40, he says “it’s a long way off” but gives himself the game. “With a couple of world titles, gold medals that you can see when you open up from his home in Australia and a couple of kids. around him.

Madame Figaro. – How do you feel a few months before the Olympic Games? How are you getting ready?
Molly Pickle. I am trying to learn as much as possible about the conditions of the Teahupo’o in Tahiti, French Polynesia. The idea is to go back a few times before the competition, practice to feel more comfortable to win. This channel is terrible. I see the glass half full and that lets me say that there is a lot of potential on this channel. If I get lost in negative thoughts, in my mental reflections, I have everything to lose. Fortunately, my fear doesn’t paralyze me, if the “carrot” looks appetizing enough, I don’t hesitate to go for it. I spent a few weeks there getting acclimated, watching the waves, swimming with whales in the distance and of course surfing. The show is magnificent. The arrival of the Olympics has disrupted the daily lives of Teahupoo residents, who are experiencing an invasion of Australians, French… the crowds are much denser near the water. International boats arrive by the thousands and it’s a real culture shock, let’s be honest. I feel sorry for the locals and also very thankful that they welcomed us with open arms and let us catch waves. All we have to do is honor them, stay out of their way, and live according to their goodness. Teahupo’o can be career-changing, what happens to you there stays with you.

What’s a professional surfer’s day like?
At 6:30 am I wake up, stretch and drink water. If it’s cold, I sometimes drink tea. Then, I let the waves dictate my day, adjusting my schedule accordingly. “When do we eat?” quickly comes to the table because I love it. I worked with a sports psychologist for a while, but today I just live my life consciously. I focus on the small, enjoyable things in life until something gets out of hand and forces me to slow down, reflect, and let go of things that require too much of me. I got injured in 2023, if I had to do it again I would take better care of myself.

Keeping my head safe gives me a sense of control that I fully embrace

Molly in Pickle

Injuries are common in high level sports, we see many surfers wearing helmets to enter the water…
When I first started surfing professionally, nobody wore helmets. The fear of injury, however, was very present. If I can save my own skin, minimize risk and protect my head, then that gives me a sense of control that I fully embrace. So I wear a helmet to draw attention to myself. As technology advances, helmets become more and more customizable and efficient, so they are becoming more common in the lineup. (an offshore area where surfers must catch waves, editor’s note). I hurt my lower back, it’s painful and annoying, it doesn’t stop me from surfing, but requires daily management. If I’m so afraid of being immobilized, it’s because injuries make us feel helpless. We can’t blame ourselves for hurting ourselves, but we can count the minutes that take us away from our passion.

Are you a woman in an environment long dominated by men? Do you see improvements in equality issues?
The generation I’m growing into as a female athlete is enjoying a great reception. It gets better every day. Some situations are still not fair, but thanks to the women who came before us, the way of thinking is changing. They have worked so hard to get to where we are today that I can only be grateful. I follow in their footsteps and in a quiet area for women. The men around us encourage us, discuss and help us progress. Overall, I feel lucky.

International Women’s Day took place a few days before this interview. What change do you expect for women in general?
I wish we could stop feeling limited. Social stereotypes, beliefs or expectations traditionally associated with women should not limit our individual freedom. Whether we are male or female, we each have our own brains, our own dreams and aspirations, and we need to break free from what is expected of us. Dream as much as you can. In another area, I am very committed to equal pay. In surfing, we are lucky because of the WSL (Professional Surfing League, Editor’s Note) which from 2019 implements equal bonuses between men and women. On the other hand, salaries are still very different in contracts signed with brands in our industry. Sponsors aren’t very fair. If you are an airline pilot, whether you are a woman or a man, you should not change the money you earn at the end of the month. But I understand very well that the male athlete brings more profit to the brand. Prove to me that it is, and then of course he deserves to win more. If not, correct this injustice.

It is often said that the environment is the most important thing in a sports career. Who are the ones you couldn’t go on without?
My coach, Glenn Hall, has been with me since I was a teenager. I started working with him when I was 14 years old. Since then, it has opened my eyes to so many positive perspectives in life. He gave me a way of looking at it that allows me to strive for the best version of me. Growing up, I look forward to having him as a role model. We travel together most of the year, he is the person I spend the most time with. I also think about my friends, I am lucky to have people with whom I can have fun, go for walks or have honest and constructive discussions. To make up for the distance, I FaceTime a lot with those who travel less than me. On the other hand, when I come home, my childhood friends greet me. I was encouraged to finish school, which allowed me to be more anchored in society. After my undergrad I went to surfing university.

As a professional surfer, what would you say to people who think we can’t travel that much anymore?
It is difficult for our generation to choose between staying at home and not pursuing their dream or flying to win competitions. I am very aware that this is not true and it makes me sad, I wish I could give money, or have a magic solution to make travel no longer so polluting. For now, I’m focused on doing my best on other aspects of ecology.

Taking care of mental health has become critical to athletic success. What do you do to take care of yourself?
To be honest, I don’t really care. I just try to just live in the moment without overcomplicating things. I tried to be tactical, mental about what I was doing, and it didn’t really work. Surfing is a great experience in itself, it allows me to connect with myself while having fun. The most difficult thing is to remain constant in an environment that is not constant at all.