Overview

• Steph Gilmore, competing as a wildcard, ousted reigning world champion Caity Simmers in the round of 16 at the Gold Coast Pro.
• Gilmore, 37, returned to competition after more than a year away, securing victory with a final wave score of 6.17, edging out Simmers by less than a point.
• Caity Simmers, 19, entered the event as the world’s second-ranked surfer after winning the 2024 World Surf League title.
• Molly Picklum advanced to the quarter-finals with a dominant performance, delivering two eight-point rides to defeat American Bella Kenworthy.
• Picklum’s success at Burleigh Heads follows her early exit at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, marking a strong rebound in her campaign.