Surfing great Stephanie Gilmore opens up about being the greatest of all time
Surfing great Stephanie Gilmore has opened up about her dreams, winning eight world titles, trauma and learning to heal.
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It’s generally considered offensive to call anyone a GOAT – unless you are considered the greatest of all time. Stephanie Gilmore sits on top of the surfing mountain as an eight time World Champion on the WSL Tour. Her first title was in 2007. Her most recent, against the odds, in 2022. We talked about impressing boys, dreaming big, being attacked outside her house, learning to heal, fear in the water and Uma Thurman. She was late to the call because she was in the surf. She is very cool.
HM: Explain to me the feeling of being in a barrel.
SG: Oh my goodness. I was late to this call because I was out in the surf at Rainbow Bay, Greenmount, and the waves are really awesome. We’ve got an east swell, and I had three or four barrels! It’s one of the harder things to explain what it feels like, but I would say it’s the best feeling in the world.
HM: Take me inside one.
SG: OK, Hame. Imagine when you walk behind the curtain of a waterfall and you feel like you’re inside of Mother Nature, so when you’re paddling into a wave and you know it’s going to barrel and you slow down and you hug the face of the wave, this waterfall curtain comes over you and you can see out through the little tunnel. You can see the landscape, the buildings, here on the Gold Coast, you see hundreds of people. The feeling of it is unlike anything, the best part is when the wave breathes on your back, as the wave curls over it then it breathes on you. A few people have been quoted saying that it’s like the kiss of God, it breathes on you and it really is this euphoric sensation, it’s otherworldly.
HM: You sound and look happier just by talking about it!
SG: You really feel like you’re on another planet when you’re inside of a barrel and you’re like, whoa, what is this? Then you come out, the funny thing is they happen very quickly. It’s almost like it’s eliminated from your mind, you have the sensation, the feeling of how great it was, but then you forget what it was, so you want more. That’s why surfers are always just like more, more, more!
HM: Is it as exciting for you now as it was when you got your first barrel?
SG: Definitely, it never gets old. There’s one thing in surfing that never gets old, and it’s getting barrelled. It’s funny you said that because there was a guy out there in the line-up who I’ve been surfing Snapper forever with him, we were 12-years-old surfing together and we both had a giggle because even though these barrels were small, we were still acknowledging the fact that we get so excited to see these little barrels coming along the sandbank. Even watching them, they’re hypnotic. Even when you’re inside of the barrel, it’s like this hypnosis where it’s a really beautiful feeling.
HM: It’s incredible, you fell in love with something and become so good at it that it has become your professional life. It’s rare.
SG: It’s rare, but it’s also rarer because it’s my first love too! It’s the first thing I can remember being completely consumed by where it’s the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing at night, you’re drawing it on your schoolbooks and you just can’t wait to get home so you can see what the waves are doing.
HM: What is it you love?
SG: As a surfer you have this relationship with the elements that other people don’t really pay attention to. That’s something that’s really special because you’re aware of what the wind’s doing, or you feel a change in the weather or the temperature and you’re like “Oh, I think the waves are going to be good”, or “The wind’s just spun offshore”. Yes, there’s a lot of great technology now to forecast conditions, but there’s still something that makes you feel like you’re a part of this club, this spirit of adventure where you’re aware of what’s going on with the ocean and you’re always trying to communicate with it and figure out when it’s going to be good so you can get out there and get the best waves you can.
HM: If for whatever reason you retired tomorrow – Tuesday – what would you do on Wednesday.
SG: Go surfing. And then again on Thursday, Friday, probably Saturday, Sunday and definitely Monday!
HM: Snapper Rocks, that’s the home break?
SG: Yes. Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay, the very southern end of the Gold Coast. I’m from Kingscliff, which is just down the road, but the wave quality here on the Gold Coast is just world class, so it was a no-brainer to move up here.
HM: Is it true that when you were keen on guys growing up, rather than chat with them, you would show them how good you were, and hope they noticed….
SG: …. don’t tell everyone my secrets!
HM: Is that how it worked?
SG: Yeah, I just figured that all my friends would be laying on the beach trying to impress them. I figured if I surfed better than them, they’d be more impressed!
HM: At what point did you think “I’m doing a good job of impressing the guys – but I may as well be the best female surfer on the planet?
SG: I always wanted to be the best at whatever it was I was doing or whatever sport I was playing. But around the age of 13, it clicked into gear. I love playing all these other sports, but surfing is an intuitive experience where when I’m surfing, I’m not even thinking, it’s all just based on feel and it feels so natural. When I’m competing, I just love the challenge. I’m not afraid of it, I’m not scared of losing and I just enjoy the whole experience, the wins, the losses, all of it. That was probably when I started to realise that I actually really love trying to impress people, I really want to put on a show, there’s more to this than just going for a surf. There’s more to this than just competing, it’s performing as well. It’s this creative outlet and it’s all these things rolled into one. Surfing is definitely a creative performance and everyone has a unique style and you’re doing your own thing, there’s no right or wrong way to do it, it’s a very subjective sport.
HM: How old when you thought you could be on the road to the being the best?
SG: Initially I just wanted to be the best in the world, probably around the age of 13 or 14. But then by probably 15-16, I knew I could do it. That sounds super arrogant, but I just knew that I could get to that number one spot and I had to have the opportunity to do it.
HM: You did get the opportunity, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, you become the world champion. Fair start!
SG: Yeah. I thought to myself “I’m going to finish school, then I’m going to qualify for the world tour and then I want to be the world champion.” Why would I qualify for the world tour and then aim to be top 10 or top five? Why not go for the number one?
HM: If only life was always that simple!
SG: It started pretty well didn’t it. I also think with the timing of everything, it seemed like a real generational shift where it was the old guard like a Layne Beachley and Chelsea Hedges, Sofia Mulanovich, a lot of the older women that I really looked up to a lot, they were coming to the middles or the end of their careers. It also seemed like a big shift in the women’s surf industry in general, where the shapers were paying a lot more attention to the women, and of course Roxy came along and they were like “Wow – this is going to be big!” In the nineties they went crazy, but they really saw a bright future in competitive surfing. Then for me, it just happened that I started to blossom right during this era of women’s surfing’s going gang busters. They said “Let’s get the women in all the same waves as the guys, let’s make this tour equal”. Moving forward into 2014 and beyond, it became equal prize pay and I really feel like a lot of the success in my career has just been timing. I guess it’s been cool to be able to win world titles from the early stages of a different generation, and then to still continue to keep it up through a generational shift and to see these new young girls coming through and still keep trying to beat them! It’s an even greater feeling.
HM: Because you are so used to saying it, it probably doesn’t sound as surreal, but when you say world titles, it’s plural. You’ve won eight. Layne Beachley won 7, so you’re officially the GOAT. Is there one of the eight that means more than the others?
SG: Yeah, there is actually. You know when people talk about going through trials and tribulations and moments in your career that really make you find some resilience and some character and some strength? For me, that was in 2010. I’d won four world titles straight back-to-back. At the end of 2010, I remember asking myself “I wonder if you could just win forever. Can you just keep going? Does it ever stop?”
🤗 @Roxypic.twitter.com/dElMhMCXwt
— Stephanie Gilmore (@Steph_gilmore) June 14, 2021
HM: Was that a legitimate question you were asking yourself?
SG: It was a legitimate question. I thought “I have not lost a world title here.” I finished school, I came on tour, I wanted to be a world champion, and I did it four years straight – back to back to back to back. I hadn’t lost. I remember thinking “Can you just keep going up, up, up? Like at what point does it stop? Does it crash? Can I win 20 world titles and then just tap out?” I guess in a way it was almost a manifestation of what was to follow.
HM: But then….
SG: At the end of 2010, it was around Christmas time and I was physically attacked by a homeless man who I think was having a drug episode. It happened on my property. Once again I think it was just the timing, but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But in a lot of ways it was the right place at the right time because it shook up my world. It turned everything upside down and it made me stop and realise that people go through traumatic experiences every day and it’s how they come out of it that really defines who they are, what their character is and the strength of their character and the personal growth that you get usually happens from those really dark moments. I remember thinking straight away, “Why me? This sucks.” I wasn’t able to defend my title the following year. I remember thinking that it was unfair as it wasn’t my fault, I didn’t hurt myself surfing or do something stupid. It took me two years but I was able to finally climb back and find that confidence again and that drive to win.
HM: So the 2012 title was the one ….
SG: Yep, it was the best win in my career. That was my 5th world title and I won it in Biaritz, it was on Bastille Day and it was the best party ever! I really think that prior to that, a lot of people would say to me, “What’s your favourite world title? What’s the best win?” And I couldn’t answer it because I hadn’t had to overcome something, it had all been too easy.
HM: What did you learn about yourself?
SG: I thought, “I’m actually glad it happened to me because I know now I’m a strong woman, I know now I can handle it, I’m still here and I have another shot. I can deal with adversity – let’s go.” It took me a bit of time to really figure out what it was to heal. But that really made me realise how important it is to dig deep, look into your own character, gain some great perspective on my life and practice gratitude for all the awesome things that I have done and all the things that I want to do.
HM: 2022 you won your 8th title. Layne Beachley had always sat on top of the mountain with 7, and you levelled her in 2018.
SG: I’ve always wanted to win eight world titles, that was my goal.
HM: From when?
SG: In the beginning when I won one, that’s when I said to myself “I’m going for the most, let’s do it.” Then as time went on, I was like 2, 3 4, OK cool. 5, 6, that was fun! I had a couple years between 6 and 7, and then there’s 4 years between 7 and 8. There’s definitely moments throughout those periods where I was thinking, “OK, what is it? Why do I want another one?”
Stepping it up for the weekend. @Steph_Gilmore, Sweet Spot 3.0 6'1 x 18 5/16 x 2 1/4 at 25.5Lhttps://t.co/9AFYgtRFZSpic.twitter.com/hAWUHsGijD
— DHD Surf (@dhdsurf) August 9, 2019
HM: To be the outright best?
SG: Sure, but what is it actually going to make me feel? Is it going to improve my life in any way? You start to really ask yourself these questions like “What is the value that I’m putting on this trophy?” At the end of the day, I had to tap back into when I was 15-years-old and I wanted to just have the most and it sounds quite petty, but it was a dream of mine. I guess you can’t really deny yourself those dreams when you are young, it doesn’t matter how old you are, whatever dream you have, it’s still a dream, and I think without them, what is life about?
HM: That was a big dream as a kid.
SG: It’s so cool to aim for something that may sound ridiculous at the time, but it’s really cool to challenge yourself and push yourself and try to align the sequences and those moments to reach that height that you’re trying to get to. I think after my 7th title I remember thinking that it was such a pressure off my shoulders that I could finally equal Layne and to sit alongside Layne was great. But then I found myself having to talk a lot about Layne and sitting equal with her. I love Layne, she’s an amazing woman and she’s done so much for women’s surfing and female athletes all around the world, so I have nothing but thanks and admiration for her. But I remember thinking “Cool, this is nice to sit equal, but I really want to stand alone with eight”. It took me a couple years in between, but we got to that finals day and I hadn’t given up on the idea of winning eight, but I remember thinking that this was maybe out of my reach, maybe that dream is just going to stay a dream.
A lil bit dreamy pic.twitter.com/PqdKALf6NQ
— Stephanie Gilmore (@Steph_gilmore) October 16, 2020
HM: In 2022 there was a new format to decide the title. The top 5 ranked surfers of the year went through to the final. You finished 5th. The format meant you had to beat 4th in a best of 3, then the winner had to beat 3rd, then the winner had to beat 2nd, then the winner had to beat the world number 1. It was thought to be impossible to win from fifth.
SG: Yeah, it was thought to be too difficult physically to do – I wasn’t sure it was possible. We came to the finals day, I snuck into the finals in 5th place. I remember thinking about all the cool sports moments where someone comes back, from a big deficit, against the odds. I just remember thinking they are the moments where I’m so far removed from that sport and I’m watching it completely covered in chicken skin, and it’s making me feel alive. Sport really affects people in a way where sport has the power to change the world in this sense. I remember thinking about those moments leading into the event and then just trying to have a really positive dialogue with myself, like I can do this. I can win this world title. Every time that I would consider a chink in my armour, I quickly changed my narrative to you got this, you can do this.
HM: And then you started believing it would happen.
SG: Yeah. The whole week leading into it, I just was eating the most healthy food and totally committed to the outcome. I trained super hard and I just had the most positive mindset. At the end of the day, I basically accepted that I had done everything that I could, and now it was just time to go out there and have some fun and get back to that 12 year old me that just loves performing in the ocean. It was the perfect mindset to be in.
HM: And the day became a magic carpet ride.
SG: The impossible happened. I was able to get through, able to get past number 4, get past number 3, get past number 2, and then I had to beat Carissa Moore, who was the world number 1. I had to beat her twice. I think at that point she just crumbled, she saw me coming like a freight train and I think she didn’t know what to do!
Stellar Magazine interview out today in the Australian Sunday papers 🫶🻠pic.twitter.com/CUELQg26kP
— Stephanie Gilmore (@Steph_gilmore) December 4, 2022
HM: Do you believe in signs?
SG: Ha. There were lot of universal signs! I was born in 88, and that’s my jersey number, 88. There were lots of 8’s everywhere, everywhere I looked! Number plates, my watches, my phone, my computers, receipts and food, everything just had an eight on it and it was getting ridiculous. Then on the final day, they were supposed to run the event on the 9th of September, and they decided to change it to the day before and run it on the 8th of September. I was like “OK, that’s another sign!” I almost couldn’t lose, but the work was done and it was the greatest feeling ever. I was thinking the other day that I wish I could rewind time and go back and feel it again! That’s what it’s all about. Sport really gives you those moments to feel heroic and hopefully it made everyone else feel something pretty cool too!
HM: It was incredible. A question from my daughter. You are the best female surfer there has ever been – but do you still get scared in the water?
SG: Yeah of course, I have plenty! The ocean has such power. One wave can destroy so much. Pipeline and also Tahiti, the wave Teahupo’o, both of those waves scare the hell out of me! But that’s also why I’m always trying to improve, work out how I can go out there and use some great tools to use and talk to yourself and be your own coach. So much is mental. “Like okay, you got this, just have a crack! What’s the worst that can happen? You get injured? Okay, no worries. Try again, you heal up and you try again. In those types of waves”. I’m always working with Ben Crowe and some different people that I love to chat to and also learning from other surfers all the time and saying “How are you just sending it out there? How are you sending it over the falls on this huge wave and coming up laughing?” It’s always these little techniques that you have to do. You’re about to get smashed, but if you put a smile on your face, it’s probably not going to be as bad as opposed to having a big scary look on your face! I know that I’ve got a lot to learn, which is the coolest part. Yes I’ve won the most titles, but I know I have so much more to learn and these are the waves that I’m going to learn the most at, so that’s basically why I’m resetting my goals.
HM: What have you learnt most from Ben Crowe and those that you work with on the mind versus the body?
SG: The mind basically controls the body but through the body, you’re able to calm the mind with things like breathing techniques and whatnot. The positive language, like the perspective of whatever situation you’re in, you have complete control over your thoughts. So if you’re able to really pay attention to them and ask yourself questions or remind yourself that it’s okay to feel nervous or uneasy or uncomfortable, what is it that I can do to make that feel better? I’m going to do some breathing exercises, I might do a quick meditation, I might do a bit of skip rope to get my heart rate up to feel the energy and, and be a part of it. These are all things that Crowey always helped a lot of athletes understand, that you create the narrative in your own heads. A lot of the time our fears are just imaginary, they’re things that haven’t even happened yet, we’re predicting things that haven’t happened yet. If you’re able to control that and move it more into something about a challenge that you’re excited about or a feeling that you love from a childhood memory or someone who makes you laugh, then you can bring yourself back into a nice focus situation and you’ll be able to perform better.
HM: How many people do you think beat themselves?
SG: I feel like most of the losses in competition are because you lost against yourself in your own head. You created a failure of what could happen or the expectation and then it affected your ability to find clarity in your decision making and then you were all over the place. You couldn’t kick the ball straight, your arms felt like jelly.
HM: It’s unbelievable how people go on the golf course, they’re the best putter in the world on the practice green, then they get in tournament play and it’s like someone else’s arms attached to their sockets.
SG: Yeah I know, It happens to me too all the time!
HM: I’m one of them!
SG: I had that the other day, I’m competing in this qualifying series event, so it’s not a main tour event, but it’s a qualifying event. I’m just a wildcard, I’m there just for fun and I’m walking down the beach and I’m against these young girls and I’m nervous as all hell, this is insane. This is my home break, I love this wave, I’m against these young girls who I don’t even know, I barely know how they surf and here I am. I’m so nervous, my legs feel heavy, I’m trying to do some breathing. I’m putting myself through all these motions as if it’s like the world title’s going down and it’s so funny to me how well sport keeps you in check or how important it is for people to put themselves in these uncomfortable situations often because it helps you become familiar with it and laugh about like oh, I’m feeling super nervous, this is insane, but that’s okay. It’s cool, I like it. I’m gonna calm myself down and we’re gonna paddle out there and do what I know how to do best. I love that I’m this far into it and have had this much success and I’m still freaked out in these little moments. It reminds me that I still love it, that I still want to do it.
HM: How do you keep fit and healthy physically and mentally away from the surf?
SG: I have been enjoying pilates. I think to have that core stability and strength is insane and you can send the biggest, most muscley people to pilates and you’ll see them struggling on the machine because it’s a totally different type of body strength, but it’s really good for posture and everything. Lately I’ve just been playing soccer with my friends, we get a group of friends together, we go down the park and we just play four on four or two on two or whatever it is. To have those short bursts of just getting your heart rate up for that 20 minutes is fun, I just love playing sports. I love to play soccer with my friends and do a bit of gym work here and there, I like to just basically surf as much as possible, I think it’s the best way to stay fit.
Stepping it up for the weekend. @Steph_Gilmore, Sweet Spot 3.0 6'1 x 18 5/16 x 2 1/4 at 25.5Lhttps://t.co/9AFYgtRFZSpic.twitter.com/hAWUHsGijD
— DHD Surf (@dhdsurf) August 9, 2019
HM: The AIA “All or Something” campaign. You showed Australia you’re an outstanding actor, what is your “something” each day?
SG: My “something” each day I feel changes all the time, but first thing in the morning when I wake up, before I look at my phone or devices, I think it’s really important to get some beautiful natural sunlight into your eyes because it sort of helps your circadian rhythm of your body to go, okay, time to wake up! Your body’s going to send yourself those physical messages to be like “All right, let’s go” and that’s much better for you than having coffee or looking at your device. So that’s my “something” is to make sure I just get up and look at the sunshine first thing.
HM: What have you changed to feel healthier?
SG: Digital detox! Too much Instagram, too much social media. It’s a very easy thing to do and the one technique that I use to slow down on that is I removed the application from my first page on my iPhone. I hid it in an app somewhere else, so it’s not just right there. If you are bored, it’s like your thumb just instantly goes there! I’m out surfing, I have a lot of things to do and I’m still getting a couple hours on my phone, so it’s really important to just make sure we limit that.
HM: Your life mantra?
SG: “Life’s not a dress rehearsal, so get out there and show what you’ve got.” That helps me when I’m procrastinating. And “Treat people how you’d like to be treated.” My mum always spoke about that one. “Practice gratitude for all the things you have and that’ll give you a great perspective on everything.”
HM: When they make the Steph Gilmore movie, who plays you?
SG: I always say Uma Thurman, she’s a badass, she’s super cool.
HM: Kill Bill. Pulp Fiction. I like it.
SG: Yeah Kill Bill, iconic. Margot Robbie would be pretty cool too, and she’s a Gold Coast girl so that’d be nice. Maybe Cameron Diaz, she’s super rad, very smiley.
HM: I think either of them get it right, so you’re in good hands.
SG: You are in my life Hame – you’ll get a role – who’s playing you?
HM: I’ll get back to you shortly on that.
Steph is an AIA Vitality Ambassador and encourages you to do “All or Something”.
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