Stephanie Gilmore has made surfing history, becoming the first woman to win eight world titles. The Australian beat Hawaiian great Carissa Moore, the defending champion, two heats to nil on Thursday at Lower Trestles in southern California.
It was a dream match-up between Gilmore and Moore, the five-time world champion. Gilmore was in tears when she won the second heat in the best-of-three final 15.23 to 11.97, having taken out the opening heat 15.00 to 10.90.
The Australian great now has one more world title than compatriot Layne Beachley. After a shaky start, Gilmore stormed through the top-five finals day on Thursday, winning four matches to claim the world title.
It was Gilmore’s first world title in 2018. While Gilmore shone, compatriots Ethan Ewing and Jack Robinson fell to Brazilian Italo Ferreira, who was facing compatriot Filipe Toledo to decide the men’s world title.