Aussie surf legend still driven to take on the world

Yahoo

02-05-2025

Stephanie Gilmore says the competitive fires are still burning as she prepares to return to the World Surf League where she will take on rivals almost half her age.
As an eight-time world champion and six-time winner of the Gold Coast Pro, which gets underway this weekend, Gilmore has nothing left to prove.
But the 36-year-old told AAP the drive to compete has never gone away, which is why she's making a one-off appearance in the World Surf League event at Burleigh Heads before returning full-time to the tour next year.
@stephaniegilmore casually being patient for the inside-money session🗓️ @originalbonsoy #GoldCoastPro kicks off May 3.@gwmaustralia @queensland @experiencegoldcoast pic.twitter.com/IWsjYwJBwn
— World Surf League (@wsl) May 1, 2025
"Yes, it's still in there - if you think it, it's one of things you actually love to do and then someone asks you 'why are you still doing it?', like that's a ridiculous question," said Gilmore, who last surfed competitively in August 2023.
"When I'm watching from afar, deep down there's still that burning desire like 'Oh wow, I wish I was in it'.
"I just love competing, I love performing ... to come back and feel those emotions again, the nerves and excitement is really cool.
"I have achieved a lot of what I wanted to achieve in my career but the cool thing about surfing is that the ocean always changes and there's a lot of conditions that I know I have a lot of work to do to get better at.
"It's just about being able to improve all the time, it's an endless evolution of myself and my surfing and to be able to challenge yourself in a world stage.
"Even if I'm not performing at my absolute best or winning the trophies as much as I used to I still enjoy that journey along the way."
The Gold Cost Pro has been moved to Burleigh Heads after sand shifting in a recent cyclone affected the waves at Snapper Rocks, Gilmore's home break.
She joked that she would have an excuse if she didn't win, but felt that the new location, as a right-hand point break, would still suit her.
Gilmore has been drawn in a tough opening heat against reigning world champion Caitlin Simmers, aged 19 and Brazilian 20-year-old Luana Silva, who reached the final at last week's competition at Bells Beach.
That event was won by Isabella Nicols, who is one of five Australian women in the Gold Coast Pro field.
"Catie is one of my favourite surfers and Luana just made the final down there at Bells Beach so they're both in great form so it's a very tough heat to begin with but I'll do my best," Gilmore said.
"Hopefully we can have a good battle and put on a show.
"I'm excited to see if I can still keep up with the young women on tour who are doing such an amazing job at the moment of just rising the level of women surfing.
"I'm hoping that my surfing is still relevant with the current crop of women but I don't think I've changed it too dramatically so hopefully it still works."
Jack Robinson will look for successive titles in the men's competition following his Rip Curl Pro triumph.
Robinson has climbed the rankings to sit third behind fellow Australian Ethan Ewing and leader, Brazil's Italo Ferreira.
There are eight Australian men in the line-up, with one wildcard still to be decided.