Surfing as a wildcard at the Gold Coast Pro, Steph Gilmore ousts reigning world champ Caity Simmers
Gilmore, 37, ended more than a year out of competition by entering the event at her home break at Burleigh Heads as a wildcard.
After waiting three days to get back in the surf, the Australian legend went head-to-head with 19-year-old Simmers, who won last year's world championship and entered the Gold Coast event as the world's second-ranked surfer, in their round of 16 clash.
Showing she's still got what it takes to rules the waves, Gilmore's final wave score of 6.17 proved enough to hold off her teen rival by less than a point in a stunning result.
Earlier in the day, Australian star Molly Picklum continued to put the disappointment of an early exit at Bells Beach behind her with a brilliant round-of-16 win that propelled her into the quarter-finals.
Picklum delivered two eight-point rides to take down American Bella Kenworthy in her pursuit of a major win on home soil.
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