Sophie Clarke won Survivor: South Pacific, Season 23.
Aired in 2011, this season featured returning players like Ozzy Lusth and Coach Wade alongside newbies, delivering intense Redemption Island duels and alliance drama in Samoa.

Season Overview

South Pacific pitted the Savai'i and Upolu tribes against each other, with Coach leading a tight Upolu alliance that dominated post-merge. Ozzy's record- breaking Redemption Island stay became legendary, but strategic plays and immunity wins propelled under-the-radar Sophie forward. She claimed three individual immunities, a record for the season, outlasting Coach (runner-up) and Albert Destrade (third place) in a 6-3-0 Final Tribal Council vote.

Key Highlights

  • Redemption Island Saga : Ozzy returned multiple times, defeating foes like Brandon Hantz in epic challenges like card-stacking.
  • Cochran's Flip : The Harvard grad switched from Savai'i to Upolu, sealing his tribe's fate but earning jury ire.
  • Finale Drama : Sophie edged Coach by owning her "rude" persona while exposing his manipulations; votes came from Ozzy, Dawn, Jim, Keith, Brandon, and Whitney.

Fan Reactions Then and Now

"Sophie managed to show some remorse for her social failings... without it coming across that she was only repentant because a jury... were about to decide."

Forums like Reddit praise her quiet control: "She was always in the group that controlled the game, played smart strategically." In 2026 rewatches, it's trending as a "true fan favorite" for blindsides and Ozzy's heroics, though some call Sophie's win "boring but earned." Coach fans lament his "little girl" jab backfiring.

Contestant| Finish| Notable
---|---|---
Sophie Clarke| Winner (6 votes)| 3 immunities, strategic underdog 5
Coach Wade| 2nd (3 votes)| Upolu leader, jury manager 1
Albert Destrade| 3rd (0 votes)| Late-game immunity threat 9
Ozzy Lusth| 4th| Redemption record-breaker 2

TL;DR: Sophie Clarke triumphed in a returnee-heavy season through smarts and clutch wins—still sparks debate 15 years later.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.