When Australian Stephanie Gilmore decided to return to competitive surfing this year following a two year hiatus from the World Surf League, more than a few eyebrows were raised. Gilmore, 38, is the greatest female surfer of all-time, with eight WSL titles to her name. But in recent years women’s elite surfing has made transformational progress, in big barrels and in the air. Did Gilmore still have what it takes?
The first two events of the season only added fuel to that question. At Bells Beach, Gilmore was downed by rising Brazilian star Luana Silva, just 21, in their opening heat. Less than two weeks later, at Margaret River, Gilmore endured another first-round exit to women’s surfing prodigy Erin Brooks, only 18. As the Australian travelled to her home break on the Gold Coast for the third event of the season, observers dared to ask: if Gilmore went out early again, might she end her WSL comeback?
