Beachley calls Gilmore the Smiling Assassin. Seems fitting. Photo: Sloane/WSL
On Monday, Stephanie Gilmore clinched her seventh world title – tying Layne Beachley’s record for the most Women’s Championship Tour number ones. And how does Beachley feel about sharing the title of the winningest surfer in women’s professional surfing with Gilmore? Turns out some of Beachley’s earliest interactions with Gilmore were some of the first indications that she was a fierce competitor beneath her composed, jubilant demeanor.
“I often think of her as the Smiling Assassin,” explains Beachley in a story she penned for PlayersVoice. “It’s impossible to ever get angry at her, but she will tear you to shreds in a contest.”
Beachley explains that the first time she competed against Gilmore was at the 2005 Roxy Pro Gold Coast. It was, as it is now, the first contest of the year and an opportunity to build momentum. Gilmore was Roxy’s wildcard for the event, and at 16 was already lighting the world on fire. When they met in the semis, explains Beachley, Steph, “[looked] elegant, graceful and relaxed… knocking me out of the event on her final wave and going on to win it herself.” Mind you, by 2005 Beachley had six world titles to her name.
But perhaps Beachley’s most compelling words about Stephanie Gilmore transcend surfing. They’re wrapped up in professional female surfers actively fighting against industry executives to assert their relevance during Beachley’s heyday, and the recent victories women’s professional surfing has seen on the back of those fights. Here’s Beachley:
I spent my career in survival mode. I had to battle in the boardroom, battle in the waves, fight against the sexist, draconian attitude of the guys who refused to recognize the value us women were creating and adding. We were undervalued by the surfing world and the industry as a whole. It was a real fight to gain the respect that the girls are enjoying today.
To hear the WSL announce pay equity recently was amazing. And it was really gratifying to see how much it meant to Steph. That, to me, demonstrated that she recognized what my generation went through to create a better environment, the one she’s currently enjoying.
