Sally Fitzgibbons addresses retirement, comebacks and why she still does childhood bus run

Champion surfer Sally Fitzgibbons accepts that noise around her future on the World Surfing Tour is inevitable – but that doesn’t mean she can’t tune it out.

Sally Fitzgibbons for Piping Hot Syd Con 29 Sep 16 Supplied

Whenever Sally Fitzgibbons hears or sees commentary that she may be washed up as a competitive surfer, she likes to recall the runs home from school as a child.

“We were the last stop, it was about 5km home, you’d leave your bag on the bus, and if you miss the bus then you’d lose your homework so you’d be in big trouble,” Fitzgibbons said.

“I still do the same loops when I go home, just for extra cardio. It grounds you, I’m still that kid that’s able to play for work.”

The 33-year-old from the NSW south coast town of Gerroa dropped out of the WSL Top 10 last year and was forced to compete in the Challenger Series.

From being ranked No. 3 heading into 2022, Fitzgibbon is now placed at No. 13, and the inevitable noises around her future have popped up.

Sally Fitzgibbons still has more to achieve in the sport. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“I’m OK with, and have an understanding, that my time in the jersey will come to a close,” Fitzgibbons said.

“I’m ready to meet it at its natural drop-off point. I think Kelly Slater might have said a similar thing, and he’s still going at 50-odd.

“But I’ve had a few chats with him over the years and it’s a sport where, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I feel like it will tell you.”

But retiring now?

“I don’t know if I am finished, I still love competing,” she said.

Australian surfer Sally Fitzgibbons at Cronulla beach, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

“I’m only just getting a bunch of stuff I’ve worked on, manoeuvres that have come out under pressure, I’ve worked all this time to have it see the light of day. So I really don’t think I’m finished yet.

“You ask yourself all those questions, then you go back into that pool and there’s a whole new level of talent in that Challenger, and so it’s like that feeling that there’s no guarantees that this will work either.

“And it’s not like the funding is the same to cover the costs, so it’s out of the pure love of the sport.

“You have this whole background conversation, then you show up, and you know what? My mindset is still right here, I’ve committed, this is my focus, until your body says, ‘No, this is it’, being in that Challenger pit is so pressurised, that is the same as going for a title on any stage.

“To get that spot was real humbling in this generation, and I’ll definitely go back on next year.

“I want to show up back on tour, get enough points.”

Sally Fitzgibbons is all smiles prior to paddling out at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast Pro on the Gold Coast. Picture: Cait Miers/World Surf League

But what Fitzgibbons doesn’t need to rely on for motivation is the outside pressure.

“There’s a feeling, whether it’s unsaid or in the media, of whether it’s time to ride out the veterans and bring in the new ones, everyone has that understanding that the fan base still has people to support,” she said.

“But it’s a neat time because you almost get left to your own devices, write your own story.

“If you have belief, and at times you’re not expected to win, when you do or have a really great result it’s not a surprise because hey, you’ve been around for 20 years and might know a thing or two.

“I’ve never needed that (Michael) Jordan motivation of proving people wrong. I have an internal drive, I don’t need personal rivalries, I just have a love of the game and that’s enough.”

Dropping to the Challenger Series could have devastated the confidence of lesser individuals, but the former world No. 1 and Olympian has embraced the new path she must take.

“With the adversity, you can’t really replicate that, like ‘I have to be resilient today’. It doesn’t pop up every day, so when the chance does come in life, you get to test yourself,” Fitzgibbons said.

Sally Fitzgibbons represented Australia at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“Me redoing the schedule and making changes to the whole system, it’s like you become a rookie all over again. There’s bound to be teething problems.

“Especially with how condensed our draw is, having 18 women and where the talent is pushed to, There’s no such thing as a no-brainer [victory], you hop in, you apply yourself.

“From here on out, I just love the process of it all. The destination and desired outcome is awesome, but I just enjoy waking up and having this as my day.

“That’s the first part of it, and that then leads to sustainable existence. Whether you’re competing or surfing, that format of the day and showing up, it fills my cup to see the next generation on the beach who want to take photos of their favourite surfers, watch people win or lose, the drama of it, going back to events after 15 years and see people who’ve watched me for a long time, family and friends, it’s got so many elements to keep me flowing along with it.”

And Fitzgibbons didn’t scour autobiographies or documentaries to find the inspiration for her comeback journey.

“To get through all this, I leaned on my own story,” she said.

Sally Fitzgibbons with her second place trophy after the 2016 Bells Rip Curl Pro. Picture: Jason Sammon

“Whether it was surfing at different places over time, or being runner up at certain events, some of my bigger wipe-outs have taken a long time to recover from, that all for me is what you can use, you’ve been through it and you’re reminding yourself and start to value your own surfing.

“It’s not from a place where ‘I’ve got all the answers’, it’s just the compound interest of time doing these experiences and taking responsibility, whether I’ve won or lost, truly taking responsibility for what happened.”

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Originally published as Sally Fitzgibbons addresses retirement, comebacks and why she still does childhood bus run