Veteran Surfer Stephanie Gilmore Defeats Caitlin Simmers at WSL Gold Coast Pro

After making her iconic return to the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, wildcard surfer Stephanie Gilmore has been turning up the heat at the Gold Coast Pro. Her comeback has left spectators in awe—she hasn't missed a beat.

Gilmore didn't take long to show that she still has it. In fact, during a remarkable one-on-one heat, she managed to come out on top over previously ranked No. 1 surfer Caitlin Simmers. However, Gabriela Bryan is now first in the rankings, while Simmers has been knocked down to the number 2 position.

The final results were close as Simmers landed a 12.50 and Gilmore scored a 12.84. Initially, it looked as though Simmers would come out victorious after she earned a clean 8.00. However, Gilmore bounced back and earned a 6.67 and a 6.17 for 12.84. Simmers fell behind after her 8.00 first run when she landed a 4.50 in her second performance.

Surfer Stephanie Gilmore Defeats Simmers in Legendary Battle

It's no surprise that Gilmore has made such an impressive comeback—after all, she is a passionate competitor at heart and appears to thrive under pressure. The surprise factor comes more from watching Simmers slip back.

With Gilmore moving forward, she will face Canadian star Erin Brooks, who just took a massive win over Lakey Peterson of the U.S. This is expected to be a tough quarterfinals matchup for both competitors. In Brooks' recent heat against Peterson, she landed a 9.43 and a 6.83 for a combined 16.26 points, blowing her opponent out of the water.