By Dan Walsh
“I went into those finals last year in fourth place and it’s virtually impossible to win the world title from there.”
Stephanie Gilmore was speaking to the Herald and The Age a few weeks ago with 12-foot waves at Teahupo’o beckoning, a base camp of sorts before she tackled competitive surfing’s Mt Everest.
As Australia woke on Friday, Gilmore hit the summit. “Virtually impossible” was now reality along with a record-breaking eighth world title thanks to one of the sport’s finest individual performances at Lower Trestles, California.
At 34, the Gold Coast star’s astounding triumph takes her past compatriot Layne Beachley’s high water mark of seven world titles, with world No.1 Carissa Moore the last of four competitors vanquished along the way.
The numbers only tell half Gilmore’s tale. The “F--k yeah” she screamed and rarely seen tears that followed the final buzzer speak to so much more.
The WSL’s new, one-day winner takes all finals format pitched Gilmore into sudden-death surfing from the outset, five straight heats between her and title No.8.
Stephanie Gilmore celebrates a remarkable eighth world title.Credit: Thiago Diz/World Surf League
“The greatest event of my life,” Gilmore said once the salt was washed off.
“The greatest achievement of my career. I just made myself believe that it was possible. I kept seeing a lot of eights, even in my vegetables in my salad, I was seeing eights. Today is the 8th here in America, I had two ‘eights’ on my jersey.”
For the record, the positive veggie vibes came from two cherry tomatoes, “stuck together as an eight.” Nestled between not just the enormity of Gilmore’s achievement at this event, but a year like no other since her rookie triumph in 2007 at age 19.
In the fine print of her fifth-place finish to the regular season is a mid-season cut barely survived at Margaret River in April, lost rankings points earlier in the year due to COVID-19 protocols almost turfing her from the tour.
Gilmore carves her way into history.Credit: Pat Nolan/World Surf League
“There were so many moments that were like ‘urgh, I don’t know if you’re going to get there’,” she reflected.
“It was emotionally draining. This was one of the shortest years on tour but it felt like the longest year ever... I still remind myself how much I love it and these are the moments that I cherish the most.
“When you’re able to hold the trophy you think back to all those moments when you’re questioning, ’can you do it? ‘Will I make the cut?’ ‘Am I even worthy of a world title?’”
In the heady moments after a rare emotional breaking point in the water – aptly described as one big “urrrrrrgh” – Gilmore humbly dubbed Moore “the real world champ this year”.
An elated Gilmore was gracious in victory, saying Carissa Moore was the real world champion.Credit: Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League
A few hours later, the true enormity of her efforts in four-foot rights had given cause for a rethink.
World No.4 Brisa Hennessy was only downed in the final minute with swooping forehand turns, Gilmore just scraping over her first hurdle.
One by one though, the best surfers in the world took her on, Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, then Frenchwoman Johanne Defay and Moore, all fresh and first-up in the water as Gilmore pulled on the rashie once more. All were duly dispatched.
The final then pitted the two best women’s surfers of the past decade against each other in a best-of-three final. Straight sets, Gilmore.
Winners are grinners: 2022 world champions Filipe Toledo and Stephanie Gilmore.Credit: Thiago Diz/World Surf League
“It’s hard to swallow this format because [Moore] has performed so well in all the different waves over the year and that’s how I’ve always won my world titles,” Gilmore said.
“To do it in this new format, it’s actually insane that even coming in fifth place that I even had a shot, but it’s also a really hard run.
“If I can beat all of the top seeds in one day and the No.1? Then yeah you deserve to be world champ.”
Gilmore’s ride to the top came with much of Australia’s hopes and focus on the men’s side of the draw, where world Nos. 2 and 3 Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing were bidding to end Brazil’s recent dominance.
A scorching run by Olympic gold medallist Italo Ferreira put both to bed before world No.1 and countryman Filipe Toledo bested him in the final.
After finishing in the top four in four consecutive tours, the 27-year-old Sao Paulo product deservedly joins the championship clubhouse.
Gilmore, though, is undoubtedly the story of the day. Not least because when conversation turned to Beachley’s influence and the prospect of moving past her seven titles, Gilmore was deferential as always.
“I hope I did her proud,” she said. “It was such an honour to share the seven record with her. But it’s really cool to have Layne’s support. She paved the way.”
Talk turns almost immediately to title tilt No.9, and Gilmore insists she has more to give, more to chase. Victories at big, iconic waves like Teahupo’o and the Pipe Masters, for example.
But not before Friday’s celebrations and a well-earned margarita, until Gilmore corrects herself.
“Make that eight margaritas actually.”
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