STEPH’S SECRETS
GILMORE COULD BE OUR BEST EVER
STEPHANIE Gilmore is back on top of the WSL women world ratings by taking out her maiden Jeffreys Bay event, her third win of the year and 29th World Tour victory.
Her road to the final was fraught with uncharacteristic first wave falls and a tie-break result in the quarters but from the semis to the final, Steph rose to the occasion – revelling in the Kirraesque line-ups of JBay, so suited to her point break style such as the home break at Snapper Rocks.
Her victory lap final on a ruler edge offshore wave resembling Kirra Point allowed Gilmore the luxury to imitate MP’s (Michael Peterson) look back with hands in the mirror stance famously captured in the 1970 Alby Falzon movie, Morning of the Earth.
Beaming on the podium as perfect waves continued to peel off, Gilmore explained her winning approach.
“Try to relax, don’t stress, smile a lot and have fun,” she said. “This is a hell of a life.”
Heading into J-Bay, Gilmore trailed her close friend and foe Lakey Peterson, who was on fire and looking every bit the No.1 seed.
But you don’t win six world titles without knowing how to be a winner. And true to form as the most gifted stylish women’s surfer in the world, Gilmore produced an impeccable final performance to retake the winner’s yellow jersey for the second time this year.
Gilmore’s latest win was crucial in her attempt to win a seventh world title and match Layne Beachley’s seven world titles record.
In the past couple of years it appeared that Gilmore had lost her passion for winning and that in-form 2018 women Peterson, Weston-Webb and Defay had caught up with the champ.
Gilmore dug deep at J-Bay, inspired by a photo of the incredible rivalry between the late Andy Irons and Kelly Slater and their slug-out final in 2005 where Slater was controversially awarded the win despite not completing his final ride.
If Gilmore was going to take out her fellow world title contender Peterson, who had been belting J-Bay like a Mick Fanning, Steph knew it was time to get serious.
“That photo helped me tap into Andy and Kelly’s assertiveness and their killer instinct to win,” she said.
Even the J-Bay dolphins were on her side when Peterson was holding priority, Gilmore managed to slip under her guard and shared a winning wave with the local custodians.
The dolphins happened to clear the water of a stray white pointer that had surfaced in front of the competitors, temporarily halting the contest prior to the quarter-finals.
Gilmore leads Peterson by 2145 points, before J-Bay, Steph trailed by 150 points.
There are four more events to go, next up is the Californian leg from Huntington Beach to Kelly’s Wave Ranch, then Portugal and finally Hawaii.
“I reckon Steph’s got a couple of more world titles in her,” said former world champion and commentator Martin Potter.
Now that Mick has retired and Parko to follow, Steph will be solo flying the world champion flag for the Gold/Tweed Coast.