Gilmore Extends Legacy With Seventh Gold Coast Pro Title and 34th CT Win

Nine years since she last claimed victory at her home break, and 21 years since she skipped school to claim her first-ever CT win as a 17-year-old Wildcard at Snapper Rocks, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) has extended her own records with a 34th CT event win and seventh Gold Coast Pro title. Appearing in her first Final since winning her eighth World Title in 2022, her 51st overall, the 38-year-old showed exactly why she is considered the Queen of Snapper and the greatest of all time. Starting her run through the event with a generational victory over Erin Brooks (CAN), who defeated her in last year’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, Gilmore next took out the defending event winner, Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), before a big win over 2024 World Champion Caity Simmers (USA) in the Quarterfinals, event standout Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) in the Semifinals, and finally the new World No. 1, Luana Silva (BRA), in the Final.

“This has been the best weekend of surfing, the waves have been pumping, Snapper’s delivered the absolute perfect goods for us,” Gilmore said. “I didn’t think I would be able to win an event this year. I cannot believe I won this event. The level of the women surfing has excelled at an incredible rate. I watched every event from a distance the last few years, and I always had those thoughts like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I can do it anymore.’ But if it was ever going to happen, it was here at Snapper Rocks. It’s my favorite wave in the world and I just have so much fun out there. It’s such a joy to compete here, and I think when you’re in that space of having fun, things just kind of fall your way. This is what I wanted. I wanted to push myself. Those two first events where I lost first round, I was thinking, you’ve got to lose the ego. When you’re in the heart of your peak of your winnings, like earlier on in my career, you feel invincible. You have to detach from that person or whatever that was and be like, ok, I’m something new, I’m something different, I’ve learned a lot, I’ve changed a bit, and just accept what it is and approach things with a fresh mind. At the end of the day, it’s enjoying the process, whatever it may be. And this whole week has been just so much fun.”

Returning to competition after two years away, Gilmore struggled to find her rhythm, losing to Silva in her first heat of the season at Bells Beach. Following another Round One loss at Margaret River, Gilmore returned home dead last in the rankings. Though she started slow again on the Gold Coast, Gilmore built with every performance, adding her first excellent score since 2023 in the Semifinals, before peaking in the Final with a near-perfect 9.50 (out of a possible 10). After opening with a 7.83 against Silva, Gilmore stumbled on her second wave. Silva soon found a 7.00 after closing out a series of carves with a critical end section hit. A second crucial score put Silva in the lead, but a fall at the end limited her scoring potential. Once she was on the back foot, Gilmore kicked into gear, quickly reclaiming the dominant position with a 7.13, before delivering the knockout punch to post a 17.33 (out of a possible 20) two wave total, the highest of the event for the women. Evoking memories of over two decades of era-defining performances on the world stage, Gilmore showcased her timeless style as she drove through deep bottom-turns to produce tight arcs and vertical hits, leaving Silva in a combination situation to nail the Final shut.

“This is crazy, but I feel like I just got better and better every heat, and then I finally pieced it together in the Final,” Gilmore continued. “I feel there’s more in the tank, but it’s funny, I paddle out in Finals and I just switch in. I have so much clarity out there and it’s just great, so much fun. Looking back at the beach, that was just the most unbelievable scene. Congrats to Luana [Silva]. She’s just becoming a better competitor and a better surfer every single time she goes out there.”

Silva Moves to World No. 1, Claims GWM Aussie Treble Victory

Following a breakout season in 2025, Luana Silva (BRA) is moving from strength-to-strength in 2026, now claiming the Yellow Leaders Jersey for the first time in her career to win the GWM Aussie Treble. The 21-year-old has appeared in the Finals Day of every event so far this season, including back-to-back Finals, having also placed runner-up in the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Silva began Finals Day by posting the first excellent heat total of her career to defeat the woman who beat her in W.A., Lakey Peterson (USA), before taking out a tight battle with Sawyer Lindblad (USA) in the Semifinals. 

“It’s incredible [to share the lineup with Stephanie Gilmore],” Silva said. “I have no other words to say. She’s been my inspiration since I was like seven, eight years old, and I’ve been drawing inspiration from her ever since. I’ve only ever dreamed to share a Final with her at Snapper. Someone asked me the other day as well, ‘Who would you wish to share a Final at Snapper?’ I said, ‘Steph Gimore, obviously.’ It’s insane, I’m living a dream come true. I really wish I could have come out on top, but it couldn’t have happened any better. If you would have told me a year ago or even at the start of the year that I’d be in number one, it’s insane. And to make two Finals, I wouldn’t have ever believed you. I’m really happy.”

Silva and Medina Claim World No. 1, Claim Second Annual GWM Aussie Treble

Following an incredible run through the first three events of the season, Luana Silva (BRA) and Gabriel Medina (BRA) took out the second annual GWM Aussie Treble to both win themselves a GWM Tank 300. In the process, the Brazilian duo secured the top positions on the rankings at World No. 1 headed into Stop No. 4, the Corona Cero New Zealand Pro Presented by Bonsoy.

“I’m just really happy to start the year like this, putting up good results and just to be back, really,” Medina said. “I was not expecting to get a car here and lead the rankings, but I’ll take it. I want to thank all the fans that came to support us, you guys are amazing, thank you so much. I love watching surfing. Today was really fun to watch, I’m just loving watching all these guys ripping, it motivates me so much. I want to do even better. I’m looking forward to New Zealand, it’s going to be a fun one.”

Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Women’s Final Results
1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.33
2. Luana Silva (BRA) 14.07

Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Women’s Semifinal Results
HEAT 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.00 DEF. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) 14.23
HEAT 2: Luana Silva (BRA) 13.67 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 12.73

Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM Women’s Quarterfinal Results
HEAT 1: Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) 15.67 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 14.33
HEAT 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.73 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 10.83
HEAT 3: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 14.76 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 12.50
HEAT 4: Luana Silva (BRA) 16.00 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.00

The Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro Presented by GWM was held at Snapper Rocks from May 1 – 11, 2026