Burleigh Heads, Australia — Bettylou Sakura Johnson has claimed her first career win on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, delivering a standout performance at the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro in Queensland on Saturday.
The 20-year-old from Haleiwa, Hawaii, put together an impressive run to win the event, defeating Australian surfing icon Sally Fitzgibbons with a commanding score of 15.33 to 7.83 in the final. Following her victory, Johnson proudly raised the Hawaiian flag before a cheering crowd at Burleigh Heads, one of the most iconic venues in professional surfing.
Heading into the competition, Johnson ranked 13th in the women’s CT standings and was under pressure to stay above the midseason cut line. She had been eliminated early in the first three CT events of the season and had reached only the quarterfinals in the last two — the Surf City El Salvador Pro and the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
But at Burleigh, she looked sharp from the outset, consistently posting some of the event’s highest heat scores.
“This is the best feeling in the world,” Johnson told WSL after her win. “I’m over the moon to have my first win here on the Gold Coast. I want to keep this going. It took a lot of hard work, patience, and perseverance. This year has been tough with injuries and other challenges, so I’m really happy to have put it all together.”
With the win, Johnson earned 10,000 CT points and jumped to sixth place in the women’s tour rankings. A full-time CT competitor since 2022, she had reached a final only once before — at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach earlier this year — and began the 2024 season with high expectations.
In the final, Johnson set the tone early with a powerful 8.5 score on her first ride. Fitzgibbons, a seasoned competitor with 17 years on the WSL circuit, was competing in her first final since 2021.
“I wanted it so badly in that final,” Fitzgibbons said. “The last few years have been a grind, but I still have the passion to surf for my country, my family, and my friends. This was almost the best birthday gift for my dad — but today was Bettylou’s day.”
Johnson reached the final after beating France’s Vahine Fierro 12.33 to 7.00 in the semifinals. Fierro was penalized for priority interference as Johnson attempted to start a wave. Earlier, Johnson defeated American Molly Picklum 15.33 to 13.37 in a closely contested quarterfinal.
With her breakthrough win, Johnson solidifies her place among the top surfers on the tour and brings new momentum into the upcoming Margaret River Pro.