Six-time WSL World Champion Stephanie Gilmore was injured for most of 2015. As in, she missed six events and dropped down to a career-low 12th in the world type-injured. Certainly, that can do a number on your confidence entering a brand new year, especially if your opponents think you're flying with a broken wing.
Steph Gilmore had jaws dropped with tight arcs like this in her phenomenal Round Two heat on the Gold Coast. - WSL / Kirstin Scholtz
And returning to her very first Championship Tour (CT) heat of the year at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Round One, Gilmore did look a little shaky.
But then came Round Two against Coco Ho, and Steph threw the gloves off. In perhaps one of the most astounding and gorgeously surfed heats in all of pro surfing history, she tore the lid off of Snapper's rifling righthanders.
Stephanie Gilmore and Coco Ho face off in Round 2 at the Roxy Pro.
With jaw-dropping speed and flow, Steph carved arc after arc, absolutely stunning the other CT competitors watching from the sidelines, building a near-perfect 19.77 heat total. Indeed, the woman was letting go of 8.8's, dropping 9.9's and 9.87's for the impressive win and a near-perfect total score of 19.77 out of a possible 20. And with that, Gilmore achieved a feat that no one touched in 2016, earning the highest heat total of the year among the CT women.
The six-time world champion delivered the most inspiring performance of the day in Round Two of the Roxy Pro with her beautiful brand of high-performance surfing.
Gilmore didn't end up winning the event. But in that heat in Australia, she proved she still had it inside of her to raise the bar of what women's pro surfing will become.
Story Makers of 2016: Steph Sets Snapper on Fire
WSL
Six-time WSL World Champion Stephanie Gilmore was injured for most of 2015. As in, she missed six events and dropped down to a career-low 12th in the world type-injured. Certainly, that can do a number on your confidence entering a brand new year, especially if your opponents think you're flying with a broken wing.
And returning to her very first Championship Tour (CT) heat of the year at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Round One, Gilmore did look a little shaky.
But then came Round Two against Coco Ho, and Steph threw the gloves off. In perhaps one of the most astounding and gorgeously surfed heats in all of pro surfing history, she tore the lid off of Snapper's rifling righthanders.
With jaw-dropping speed and flow, Steph carved arc after arc, absolutely stunning the other CT competitors watching from the sidelines, building a near-perfect 19.77 heat total. Indeed, the woman was letting go of 8.8's, dropping 9.9's and 9.87's for the impressive win and a near-perfect total score of 19.77 out of a possible 20. And with that, Gilmore achieved a feat that no one touched in 2016, earning the highest heat total of the year among the CT women.
Gilmore didn't end up winning the event. But in that heat in Australia, she proved she still had it inside of her to raise the bar of what women's pro surfing will become.
Tyler Wright
2x World Champ Tyler Wright and perennial World Title threat Tatiana Weston-Webb went wave for wave in a clash of veterans with Tyler
Featuring Jordy Smith, Gabriel Medina, Tyler Wright, George Pittar, Sawyer Lindblad, Caroline Marks, Samuel Pupo, Griffin Colapinto, Ethan
2x World Champ Tyler Wright has a chip and a chair at the table of a potential 3-peat here at Bells Beach, going excellent in the Opening
Relive every single 9-point ride surfed at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Bonsoy since 2019. Featuring Gabriel Medina, John John
Featuring Griffin Colapinto, Jack Robinson, Samuel Pupo, Tyler Wright, Caroline Marks, John John Florence, Italo Ferreira, Matthew
Roxy Pro Gold Coast
Claiming the 2016 Roxy Pro was huge but sharing the win with her brother Owen was a seminal moment in her Title year.
An inside look at what goes on behind the scenes at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro.
Os australianos Matt Wilkinson e Tyler Wright venceram a etapa e largaram na frente na corrida pelos títulos mundiais da temporada.
Two fresh faces will be rocking the Yellow Jersey at Bells Beach after an action-packed Finals day.
See how Tyler Wright made her way to the top at the first CT event of the season.