There are few names in surfing more synonymous with the Gold Coast than Stephanie Gilmore. Now, the eight-time World Champion is set to make a one-off competitive return at the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, delighting fans with her decision to accept a wildcard entry into the event. Gilmore’s reappearance will mark her first time donning the competition jersey since the final stop of the 2023 Championship Tour (CT), and while it’s not a full-time comeback, it’s a moment to savour for local surf fans and the broader WSL community alike.
Gilmore, a native of the region and a six-time winner at the Gold Coast stop, will take the place of Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season. For Gilmore, the invitation to compete on home turf was simply too appealing to turn down.
“I’m super excited to have this opportunity to get back in the jersey for the CT’s return to the Gold Coast,” Gilmore said. “I’ve been enjoying my time away from Tour, but I’m still a competitor at heart, so I am really looking forward to clicking back into that mindset and testing myself after some time away from competition.”
The decision isn’t just a nod to nostalgia. Gilmore’s legacy at this event is formidable, and her affinity with the local waves runs deep. This year’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro will be held at Burleigh Heads – a right-hand point break that Gilmore admits she’s less familiar with than the iconic Snapper Rocks. Still, she’s relishing the challenge and the chance to surf in front of a hometown crowd.
“It’s so close to home as well, so it’s really a no-brainer,” she added. “I’m definitely not as in tune with Burleigh as I am with Snapper, but it’s still a perfect right point, so I feel like it’s a spot that suits my style. It will be cool to see everyone work out a new wave on Tour, so hopefully, it delivers some of the perfection it’s known for.”
It’s been years since Gilmore last competed at Burleigh – not since her junior days – which adds a layer of excitement and curiosity to her wildcard appearance. Fans can expect to see a blend of seasoned precision and hometown passion as she steps back into a competitive arena that she once dominated.
Gilmore isn’t the only fresh face entering the draw. Spain’s Nadia Erostarbe will step in for France’s Johanne Defay, who has withdrawn from the season as she prepares for the birth of her first child. On the men’s side, Hawaii’s Ian Gentil will continue to sub in for three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina, who is still recovering from injury.
Australian Jordan Lawler also gets a call-up, replacing Moroccan Ramzi Boukhiam, who was forced to pull out after sustaining a knee injury at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Lawler, the third-highest-ranked Challenger Series surfer available, will now get his shot at the main event.
Adding more local flair, Bonsoy team rider and former CT surfer Callum Robson has been awarded this year’s event wildcard. Robson won the Gold Coast Challenger Series event in 2022 and is expected to be a strong contender again, especially with his familiarity with the local conditions.
But perhaps one of the most exciting elements of this year’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro is the Trials event, set to take place this Friday. Thirty-two up-and-coming talents from across the Gold Coast and Queensland – alongside a few veteran pros – will battle it out at Burleigh Heads for a coveted spot in the main event. With just one male and one female set to qualify from the one-day contest, it’s a golden opportunity to break into the international spotlight.
The return of the CT to the Gold Coast brings with it a wave of anticipation, as fans gather along the Burleigh shoreline and tune in from around the globe, all eyes will be on how the eightt time champion performs on her home break.
