Stephanie Gilmore extends break from World Surf League to ‘focus on healing’
Eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore has abandoned plans to return to full-time competition on the world surfing tour to focus on full recovery from injuries. The Australian surfing great extends her break from the World Surf League Championship Tour for a second season, while reigning men’s champion John John Florence has also retired from competing in 2025.
Gilmore was expected to return to professional surfing next week at the Pipeline Pro in Hawaii after being awarded a wildcard for the season, but will now sit out this year’s campaign. The WSL has awarded Gilmore another wildcard for the 2026 CT season, which could allow her to pursue a record-extending ninth women’s world title.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away from the WSL Tour for another season,” Gilmore said. “This time I will be able to focus on healing some lingering injuries and focus my energy on continuing my adventures of surfing around the world.”
Gilmore spent her first of 17 years away from competitive surfing on lesser-known breaks, including for the Rip Curl Search series. The 36-year-old won her first World Tour event as a wildcard entry in 2005 and two years later claimed the first of four consecutive world championships in her first Tour campaign.
Australia’s Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright will once again be part of the women’s CT, while Sally Fitzgibbons and Isabella Nichols will join their compatriots after qualifying for the 2024 challenger series. Gilmore’s spot on the women’s tour has been passed to Brazil’s Luana Silva.
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Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing headline six Australians who will take part in the men’s competition, which will take place without the defending champions after Florence decided to focus on new projects. Alan Cleland Jr will take the 32-year-old’s place and become the first Mexican to compete full-time in the championship, while Florence will receive a wildcard to return to the competition next year.
“I’m going to focus on surfing in a different way this year,” Florence said. “I want to explore, find new waves and push my surfing as far as possible. I will be filming for some new projects and sharing my adventures along the way – and plan to compete for another world title in 2026.”
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Gabriel Medina will miss the start of the 2025 season after undergoing surgery for a chest injury suffered while surfing near his home in Brazil. The three-time world champion has withdrawn from the first three rounds of the CT with the men’s competition wide open.
Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater has been given an event wildcard into the Pipeline Pro as the 52-year-old chases a ninth CT victory at the famous break. Women’s 2022 Pipeline winner Moana Jones Wong will also enter a wildcard for the event starting on January 27.