The eight-time world champion has returned to a very different looking WSL tour this week after some time out spent travelling and recuperating
Stephanie Gilmore, the most successful women’s surfer of all time, is back. Last weekend, the 37-year-old returned to the World Surf League (WSL) for the first time in two seasons, as a wildcard at the Gold Coast Pro. But unsure of how she would fare, against competitors who had not even been born when Gilmore first started winning WSL events, the Australian came armed with a good excuse.
“I’m playing on stage with Spiderbait,” Gilmore said ahead of a concert which took place on Sunday on the sidelines of the event. “So I’ve actually got something that’s taken my mind off the surfing, which is kind of nice. Maybe it’s a cop-out, but if I don’t do well in the competition I can just blame it on all the band practice I have to do.”
