Stephanie Gilmore says Aussie will excel in Surf Ranch team event

STEPHANIE Gilmore says Australia will be a major player at the inaugural Davis Cup-style surfing teams event in Kelly Slater’s wave pool but is already planning extra time in the gym to prepare for it.

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STEPHANIE Gilmore is predicting Australia will be a major player at the inaugural Davis Cup-style surfing teams event to be held in Kelly Slater’s wave pool but is already planning extra time in the gym to prepare for it.

Gilmore will captain the Australian team at the two-day Founders’ Cup where five teams of three men and two women will compete at Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California from May 5-6.

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“I’m sure team Australia will do really well here,’’ said Gilmore, a fan of wave pool surfing after testing the waters at Slater’s Surf Ranch last year.

“It’s a futuristic experience and I can’t wait to have more experiences there.’’

Stephanie Gilmore after winning the last event of 2017.

The event will be the first time the Surf Ranch — boasting a man-made, 640m, bi-directional wave featuring barrel sections and manoeuvre sections — will be open to the public.

Gilmore said there is no danger of being bored with the wave pool a tough workout.

“The waves are exactly the same but after every wave the water levels change so there are subtle differences. It can also still be affected by the wind,’’ she said.

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“There are some waves I feel are a little bigger or a little smaller. You have to ride it like an ocean wave.

“It’s about a 35-40 second ride and you don’t get a lot of time between so you need new levels of long strength and cardio to be doing the manoeuvres so quickly. In the ocean you can have five to 10 minutes between waves.’’

The American team, lead by Kelly Slater, will be tough to beat.

While Gilmore heads the Australian team, 11-time world champion Slater will captain the US, former world champion Gabriel Medina the team from Brazil, Johanne Defay the team from Europe and Jordy Smith the united world team.

Gilmore said she is yet to learn who her Australian teammates will be for the Founders’ Cup.

Originally published as Stephanie Gilmore says Aussie will excel in Surf Ranch team event