When Bethany Hamilton surfed the Fiji Women's Pro to a third-place finish in 2016, it was clear she belonged on the CT.
But it's been ten years since she competed on the qualifying series with any serious intentions, and this is, after all, a necessary step towards booking a full-time place on the Dream Tour.
So, could 2020 finally be the year?
Bethany, one of the most recognizable surfers on the planet, has announced that she will be competing full-time on the QS in 2020, and is better than perhaps anyone else in the sport at defying the odds.
Most people thought she'd never surf again after she lost an arm to a shark attack on Kauai in 2003, but she was back on a board within weeks; then they thought she wouldn't compete again, but she went on to win several events.
As a wildcard at the Fiji Women's Pro, Bethany Hamilton came up against Jeep Leader Tyler Wright in Round Two, and pulled off a huge upset.
"I did the QS for a while and I had a couple of close calls, I think I missed out by two heats one year and one heat the other year. They were really painful losses back then, and then I kind of stepped away, got married, worked on my film Unstoppable - which is out worldwide pretty much - and I put a lot of effort into just getting better at surfing the last six, seven years," Hamilton told the WSL after a heat at the Sydney Surf Pro.
"It kind of feels like my last hurrah, because I do want to have another kid at some point, but we were like, let's just go for it. And I have my husband's support so I figured, why not try? It doesn't hurt to try and have fun along the way," she says.
If her performance so far in the Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series event is anything to go off, she's put some serious effort into her small-wave game - a crucial step towards succeeding in some of the Qualifying Series' litany of humble beach breaks.
No one ever questioned her ability in solid waves, and it was always going to be the less-than-stellar conditions that would prove to be the biggest hurdle.
Hawaii's Bethany Hamilton has declared her intention to qualify for the Championship Tour after her round 2 heat at the Sydney Surf Pro.
"I'm working with a trainer out of Canada, and I think I'm doing some of the more unique training there is out there ... I'm going to keep it a secret for a while. But it just keeps me feeling fresh, and I've actually been out of the water for three months so I really heavily relied on my training.
"I'm also working with Ross Williams, out of Hawaii, and we're working on just getting better at surfing and competing. He's helping me in every area of surfing.
"I'm approaching the year with the challenge of small waves ... it's easy to surf in good waves, but I've always loved a challenge so I've put that challenge towards small waves and keeping my mindset positive towards that. It feels good to face it head on, versus ignoring it," Hamilton says.
If she can pull it off, it will be just the latest in a long line of inspiring achievements racked up by Hamilton, and we can't wait to see her in the jersey this year.
Is 2020 The Year Bethany Hamilton Qualifies For The CT?
Ben Collins
When Bethany Hamilton surfed the Fiji Women's Pro to a third-place finish in 2016, it was clear she belonged on the CT.
But it's been ten years since she competed on the qualifying series with any serious intentions, and this is, after all, a necessary step towards booking a full-time place on the Dream Tour.
So, could 2020 finally be the year?
Bethany, one of the most recognizable surfers on the planet, has announced that she will be competing full-time on the QS in 2020, and is better than perhaps anyone else in the sport at defying the odds.
Most people thought she'd never surf again after she lost an arm to a shark attack on Kauai in 2003, but she was back on a board within weeks; then they thought she wouldn't compete again, but she went on to win several events.
"I did the QS for a while and I had a couple of close calls, I think I missed out by two heats one year and one heat the other year. They were really painful losses back then, and then I kind of stepped away, got married, worked on my film Unstoppable - which is out worldwide pretty much - and I put a lot of effort into just getting better at surfing the last six, seven years," Hamilton told the WSL after a heat at the Sydney Surf Pro.
"It kind of feels like my last hurrah, because I do want to have another kid at some point, but we were like, let's just go for it. And I have my husband's support so I figured, why not try? It doesn't hurt to try and have fun along the way," she says.
If her performance so far in the Sydney Surf Pro Challenger Series event is anything to go off, she's put some serious effort into her small-wave game - a crucial step towards succeeding in some of the Qualifying Series' litany of humble beach breaks.
No one ever questioned her ability in solid waves, and it was always going to be the less-than-stellar conditions that would prove to be the biggest hurdle.
"I'm working with a trainer out of Canada, and I think I'm doing some of the more unique training there is out there ... I'm going to keep it a secret for a while. But it just keeps me feeling fresh, and I've actually been out of the water for three months so I really heavily relied on my training.
"I'm also working with Ross Williams, out of Hawaii, and we're working on just getting better at surfing and competing. He's helping me in every area of surfing.
"I'm approaching the year with the challenge of small waves ... it's easy to surf in good waves, but I've always loved a challenge so I've put that challenge towards small waves and keeping my mindset positive towards that. It feels good to face it head on, versus ignoring it," Hamilton says.
If she can pull it off, it will be just the latest in a long line of inspiring achievements racked up by Hamilton, and we can't wait to see her in the jersey this year.
Bethany Hamilton
Check out the full event pres. by First Hawaiian Bank and Mastercard recap with some of the event's best performances.
The event presented by First Hawaiian Bank and Mastercard will bring some of the island's top performers to the famed reefbreak June 17 -
Bethany Hamilton's appearance in the 2014 women's event at Pipe was just another example of her talent and determination.
Russell Bierke's BWA Ride Of The Year entry, Nathan Florence is the POV master, Bethany's 'In The Night' and an important new book.
Stephanie Gilmore and a right-hand point are a match made in heaven, Hamilton chasing a CT spot and the Ohana Fest at Doheny State Beach.
Sydney Surf Pro
Watch all of the best bits from the last day of competition at Manly.
The duo take historical victories at the first WSL Challenger Series event, the Sydney Surf Pro.
Leonardo Fioravanti and Carissa Moore were not assured of their victories at the Sydney Surf Pro until the final seconds of the event.
In a classic rival matchup against Tyler Wright, the 4x World Champion starts the season with a win at the inaugural Challenger Series
Four-time World Champion Carissa Moore has defeated childhood rival Coco Ho for a spot in the Quarter Finals at the Sydney Surf Pro.