TOP Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore won the Corona Open JBay in pumping four to six foot conditions at the world-renowned Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay on Friday.
In a marathon day of competition, Gilmore started her path to victory by eliminating Nikki Van Dijk in Round 3, Bronte Macaulay in the quarter-finals, Tatiana Weston-Webb in the semi-finals and Lakey Peterson in the final to take the win at the first women’s Championship Tour (CT) event hosted on the African continent in almost 20 years.
The Corona Open JBay win marks Gilmore’s record-extending 29th CT victory and her third in the 2018 season (Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and Oi Rio Pro).
In her first visit to compete in South Africa, the six-time WSL Champion made herself at home at Jeffreys Bay with stunning performances.
“I just do not know why I never came here until now,” said Gilmore. “I always felt I’d have some special connection with JBay.
“It is just so much fun and it is a magical place. The waves are just so powerful and perfect. The sunrises, sunsets, dolphins – it is never-ending.”
Gilmore’s 2.74-point lead over the American in the final heat, puts her ahead on the Jeep Leaderboard by 2,145 points.
The next stop on the 2018 WSL Championship Tour will be the Vans US Open of Surfing from July 30 to August 5, 2018.
