Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore has secured her eighth world title, making surfing history in California at the Rip Curl World Surfing League (WSL) Finals.
Gilmore has now overtaken fellow Australian Layne Beachley’s seven titles to become the most successful women’s champion in history.
While the win proved truly phenomenal, Gilmore had to fight through her fair share of battles to achieve it.
Heading into the Rip Curl WSL Finals, she was in fifth place at the Lower Trestles break in California but won five-straight heats for the chance to surf against the reigning champion from 2021 and 2019, Carissa Moore.
Taking the opening heat 15.00 to 10.90 before winning the second 15.23 to 11.97, Gilmore won the best-of-three final to rewrite the record books.
Gilmore has claimed world titles in 2007-2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and now 2022.
To take the 2022 world title, the Australian surfer won four matches leading up to it. She came from behind in two earlier matches, only narrowly beating Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy in the first and Brazilian, Tatiana Weston-Webb in the second.
In her final match against Moore, Gilmore was able to pull ahead of the younger Hawaiian surfer to take the win.
Speaking with Strider Wasilewski after the competition, Gilmore said, “Oh my God, I’ve visualised it so much and I was just like: ‘Let’s do this,’ I have a chance, let’s just prove this whole system wrong.”
“You can come from the bottom, come from fifth and win a world title. That’s freaking cool. But Carissa is really the world champ to me this year. She’s had the best season ever. I’m so honoured to surf against her in this final. I’m so spent. It’s been a wild day.”
The two women, Gilmore and Moore hold respect for each other’s achievements and showed a classy display of sportsmanship at the competition. Immediately after the final, Moore swam over to Gilmore and the two shared an emotional embrace in the water to celebrate Gilmore’s victorious efforts.
After claiming the title, Gilmore spoke to Moore’s abilities saying, “She had such a stellar year, so many wonderful performances and I’m so inspired by what she does.”
“I was out there thinking if this happens, it’s freaking cool but if it doesn’t, I won’t be bummed because it’s against Carissa and she really is the greatest of all time in my opinion.”