Stephanie Gilmore, the eight-time world champion, has silenced doubters with a stunning victory at the Gold Coast Pro, her home event at Snapper Rocks. The 38-year-old Australian, who returned to the World Surf League this year after a two-year hiatus, defeated rising Brazilian star Luana Silva in the final to claim her seventh win on the Gold Coast and her 34th overall WSL event title.
Gilmore's return had been questioned after early exits at Bells Beach and Margaret River, where she lost to younger competitors. But on Monday, in front of a large holiday crowd, she delivered a vintage performance, scoring a 9.5 on a wave late in the final to seal victory. “I really didn’t think I was going to win a comp this year,” Gilmore said. “The girls are at a whole new level. I wanted to push myself – can I do it? The answer was emphatic: yes she can.”
The win comes more than 20 years after she first won the event as a schoolgirl wildcard in 2005. Gilmore now ranks seventh in the world and is back in the title race. The tour moves next to Raglan, New Zealand.
The victory highlights the generational tussle in women’s surfing, with Gilmore representing the old guard against a new wave of talent including Silva, 21, 18-year-old Erin Brooks, and reigning world champion Molly Picklum. Comparisons to Kelly Slater are inevitable, but Gilmore’s record stands alone: she is the most successful female surfer in history.
