Western Australian surfer Jack Robinson has claimed his first World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour event victory alongside fellow Aussie, Stephanie Gilmore, who scored her 32nd CT title.
The Australians defeated the competition in the four-to-seven-foot waves at the Corona Open Mexico presented by Quiksilver, the seventh stop on the 2021 Championship Tour (CT), after four consecutive days of surfing at Barra de la Cruz in Huatulco, Mexico.
Margaret River's Robinson defeated Deivid Silva (BRA) in the Final, Mateus Herdy (BRA) in the Semifinals, and Frederico Morais (PRT) in the Quarterfinals.
"We did it, and I don't even know where to start," said Robinson.
"It's like a feeling I got when I qualified and I'm still in that state of processing it.
"Everything pushed me just trying to find all the right things to come together, so many things, and got a good team of support around me.
"The Doras, my wife Julia, my family, sponsors, I couldn't do it without them."
The Corona Open Mexico pres. Quiksilver is the last event of the regular season before the Rip Curl WSL Finals, and similar to how he qualified for the CT in 2019, Robinson was able to top off his rookie year with a win in the final event.
"I was trying to carry the energy even before this I came down here," Robinson said.
"When I'm in a certain zone I don't say too much and I was in that zone this week and just being able to rise above the level of surfing that everyone was at, I felt like I could do that in every heat.
"This win and everything is for Toro of Toro Surf Trips, his son passed away and it's really sad, and just want to send big love and prayers to him."
Gilmore continued to break her own CT title record after taking down a competitive field, including World No. 1 and reigning four-time WSL Champion, Carissa Moore (HAW), in the Semifinals and World No. 2 Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) in the Quarterfinals.
"It's unbelievable," said Gilmore.
"Malia (Manuel) was my pick for the whole event.
"She was on the right waves and surfing so beautifully.
"That Final was tough because every time she paddled past me she had the 'AI Forever' on her back and just felt like she had the mana.
"I knew it was going to be a tough Final, but that's the best feeling ever."
Gilmore's win now moves her up into the fourth position heading into the Rip Curl WSL Finals, the one-day event in San Clemente to decide the 2021 World Champions.
Gilmore will be the fourth seed, ahead of Johanne Defay (FRA).
"I haven't won a contest in awhile," continued Gilmore.
"I was hoping to climb up the rankings maybe one spot for the finals at Trestles so I didn't have to surf as many heats on finals day.
"This is sick.
"Ever since seeing this event in 2006 for the men and losing Snapper off the Tour, this is the next best thing.
"I think knowing when Tahiti was canceled and this was the last event, all the pressure was on trying to stay ahead of the world's best women in the lineup.
"This place is incredible and it's just like home and I really love it here, I'm so proud to win here."
