Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore reinforced her status as the dominant female surfer in the world in 2009 when she won her third consecutive Women’s World Surfing Championship at just 21, an amazing accomplishment, making her the only surfer, male or female, to win the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world title in every year of full competition on tour.
Stephanie had remained intentionally aloof to the possibility of a third straight world title and expressed surprise when informed she had clinched the historic crown on the final day of Gidget Pro Sunset Beach competition, where she finished third. She said: “I didn’t even know it was happening. I was preparing for the Final and gearing up and then to know I had won, my head was a bit light.”
Her spectacular year was highlighted by a win at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, second at the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach, second at the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic and second at the Movistar Peru Classic.
