Australia's Surfing Life Magazine

Full Steph Gilmore Interview From Lakey Peak

Monday, 08 June 2009 00:00

 Stephs’ thoughts on the women’s tour, being a celebrity, and much, much more.

Tell us about the trip.
All right. ASL’s 250th trip and it’s awesome. We’ve come to Sumbawa, and to the beautiful set-ups of Lakey Peak. It’s such a short trip from Australia, two flights and you’re here. There’s a drive through some serious potholes and then you’re sitting there looking at one of the most perfect A-frames in the world.

How did you react to getting invited on this trip?
When you first asked, because it was between Snapper and Bells, I didn’t know whether to do it or get all serious and put my contest head on and not come. Then as soon as I heard who the crew was I couldn’t say know. I love watching all of those guys surf, and who doesn’t want to head to Lakey Peak for a few days of insane surfing and warm weather?

So, the token ‘you’re a girl’ question. You were just one of the crew.
Yeah, I love hanging out with the guys. It’s cool, there’s no whingeing or whining, the nails don’t come out, reeooww! Especially in the surf, the guys toy around with the waves you normally wouldn’t even look at, and you learn so much from the way they perform in the water, it’s cool.

By the end of the trip did you find yourself charging waves you might have done a double take on at the beginning?
For sure. Once I saw you go over the falls on the wave of the day at Periscopes, and come up alive, it made it all worth it and I decided to take off on a couple after that. But yeah, it’s cool that you can watch them and your confidence builds. There’s no better way to improve your surfing than to do a trip with the guys.

Last year Sally Fitzgibbons came on our Hot 100 trip, and by the end she was one of the gang, everyone was happy to pay out on her, she was just one of the gang. Last night you copped a roasting from everyone after a few drinks, how did that feel?
It’s good. When you hang out with the guys, if you’re paying out on each other it’s not about getting angry, or getting back, it’s just about getting even. Give them their shit straight back. With the girls it’s more about not talking to each other for a while and having a sulk. Just hanging out, especially with these guys who are so relaxed, they just want to have a good time, and that means giving each other crap, pushing each other into waves they’re never going to make.

Are you a feminist? You seemed pretty up on all that stuff at the round table?
No, I don’t think I’m a feminist at all. I enjoy talking about women in sport. I know that sport has been so male dominated for so long that when you see women’s surfing getting more coverage it might come across as feminism but it’s just the facts. I’m not sure what the guys would have though the other day when I busted out that Isobel Latham was the first Aussie to ever surf, and that the first Aussie world champ was a women and all that. Guys push the men all the time, so I’m going to do my bit back for the girls.

You said at the ASP Banquet that you were as excited to be involved in the revolution that’s taking place in women’s surfing as you are to be winning titles.
It’s true. Once you get to the highest point in a sport, you start to wonder what you can milk from a world title. It’s cool to even be able to think you can have an impact on a sport, or help to push it in a certain direction. I think there’s a lot of value in women’s surfing and hopefully the rest of the world, corporations and the like, will start to see that.

Speaking of, you’re endorsing Sanitarium these days. Do you think the general public is starting to see surfing as a sport now?
For sure. The first time I met up with the Sanitarium crew they said they’d had their eye on surfing for a while, but the bad boy image kinda freaked them out a bit. It was until recently, when they saw a few personalities in the sport who they considered good role models and athletes in general…

… you look pretty bad-ass in that ad…
… I am a bad-ass (laughs). But, they liked my appeal, and the sport is more accepted now too, as well as being a healthy lifestyle.

Do you call yourself an athlete?
Yeah, absolutely. That’s what I write on my customs cards.

Ozzie writes artist.
Of course he does. That was one thing I always admired about Kelly and Layne and Mick, was that they considered themselves athletes, and there’s definitely a huge different between that and being a professional surfer.

What do you thing about non-core surf companies like Nike and Red Bull starting to sponsor surfers?
I think it’s awesome. It’s overdue. The industry sponsors have been there since the beginning, and always will be, and the top guys will always be them, but if we can get more corporate backing and endorsements, then it might lead to more money and more events.

Do you enjoy the mainstream media, going on TV and the like? Do you get hit up by Cleo and Dolly and those sorts of magazines?
It grows on you. That’s another cool thing, those magazines are so interested in sportswomen, Stephanie Rice and those sorts of girls, that it’s really cool they call me up now and say they want me in their mag. I think it’s great for surfing, it’s awesome. It can get pretty tiring, and intense, but it’s simple stuff and all part of the job.

All the guys on this trip seem to hang out with footy players and sports stars and the like, how about you? Like, are you mates with Stephanie Rice?
Um, no, that’s a really good question. I don’t know her at all. I did do the celebrity car race at the grand prix in Melbourne last year and got to hang out with Liz Ellis, who used to captain the Aussie netball team, and (ex Aussie cricketer) Michael Slater and Nick Green from the Awesome Foursome so that was great.

How’d you go?
I was amazing, you didn’t see me? I think my grandma would have beaten me.

Where’d you come?
About 16th, out of maybe 24.

How many finished?
20, maybe?

How much does a world title change you? Like do you wake up the next morning and go, right, I have to mind my manners now?
You definitely wake up and go “wow”. Nothing’s physically changed but there’s a lot that comes with a world title. You don’t just win it and get your name on the trophy and disappear. It’s awesome, you instantly become a role model, you’re at the top of a sport that so many kids participate in. There’s something about being the best that everyone wants to try and achieve.

You and Mick shared titles, you’ve got the same sponsors, you’re both from Coolie. You must share a special bond?
Yeah look he’s a great guy. He won his title in Brazil, right before mine in 2007, and it was really cool. He gave me lots of advice throughout the year, and we were both in pretty similar situations as it all unfolded. It’s great to know he’s willing to share his knowledge, and it obviously came in pretty handy in the end. He’s just a Coolie boy who loves his mates and going for a surf and I think that’s what everyone likes about him. I think that’s what great about all Aussie world champs, you can walk up to them and say hi and they’re not intimidating at all. A special bond though? (laughs).

Have you and Mick talked about your titles?
No, not really. Of course, after we both won in Hawaii we had some good times together, but we don’t need to remind each other we’ve won titles.

He looked pretty happy to be wearing the Happy Gilmore hat around the place?
Oh that time in Hawaii was pretty special. The whole Rip Curl family was there and there was so much build-up for like, two months. So for it all to happen like that at the end it was pretty unbelievable. We definitely had a few hugs – we hug around here! – and we’re like “can you believe it?” to each other.

Whoever woulda thunk it.
Whoever woulda thunk it.

Did you know Ozzie before this trip?
No. I’d always seen him in movies and different stuff, and I probably had a preconceived idea of what he’d be like, and that was completely different to the opinion I’ve got of him now. He’s so freeminded and finds a positive in everything he does. He’s so youthful, he’s like a comic book character in everything he does, 24/7. He’s the ultimate kid, it’s really cool.

You hung around free-surfers before?
Not on a trip, no. It was cool, sitting there and thinking about what Oz would be trying to achieve on the trip. I guess every surf he’s out there working, he has to nail shots and get good footage or he doesn’t get paid. Well, that’s probably not true, but I really don’t know. Then the rest of us are out there trying to surf and have fun. So it’s different, but then we’re all out there for the same reason, which is that we love it.

The female take on freesurfing is a bit different huh? It’s more like models who can stand up on longboards.
Yeah sure. I don’t know if the average girl who goes out and buys surf gear necessarily looks at a girl doing an aerial, or pulling in. I guess it’s more of a fashion thing, the pretty girl on a longboard in Waikiki sells the lifestyle better. Maybe way, way down the track it might happen.

Or there are your surfer girls who get out the paints and canvases.
Definitely. Even with the guys, you look at Rasta it’s all about the art, the music, the conservation angle. Look at Karlee Mackie, she freesurfs, she does art, all that.

Slater won five titles then took three years off. Tour.
Kelly had a three years off, wow, didn’t know it was that long.

Maybe that can be your plan?
Yeah I could just copy Kelly in as many ways as possible. You know, my goals change from week to week. Somedays I think I want to take everything as it comes and try and be spontaneous and creative, and then the next I’m like “nah, I wanna win everything!”

Are you like that? Do you have to win everything?
Yep, definitely. I don’t know what it is, I just have to win everything. Or if it’s not winning, it’s impressing the people around me.

So what’s your goal then, to just keep winning titles?
Not really. I mean, I like the tour, and I like being on it, and I like being in the lead coming to the end of the year, and the chase and then coming out on top, it’s all pretty sweet. But I think I’m able to do other stuff besides all that. We only have six events on our tour, so we’ve got lots of time do all sorts of other stuff. It’s funny though, I don’t know how many people would actually know exactly how many titles Kelly has won.

I don’t know about that, everyone would have seen the Sl8er campaign. And then with seven he was equalling Lance Armstrong and Michael Schumacher so that crossed over.
And I guess if he wins ten everyone will hear about it too, yeah.

The women’s tour is so exciting at the moment. In the next two years all the two-step cutback girls will be gone, replaced by a bunch of under 21s who rip. Is this a bad time for the economy to be struggling, is now when the women’s’ tour should really be going big?
That’s a good question. I get so many people coming up to me saying that the women’s tour must be struggling, but I think because there are so many fresh faces and different events we’re actually not. Sure, we’ve got a couple of events in jeopardy, but I don’t think that’s going to hurt us too much. There are new faces, there are going to be new rivalries, it’s a good time and we should start to flourish.

Would there be girls on the tour who don’t share your rosy opinion?
Definitely. When we talk about different formats, or companies not stepping up with the extra prize money that the men go this year it’s tough. And you know, there are still unsponsored girls who struggle to get to events, who see things very differently to me. I don’t know much about the politics of it all.

Are you interested? Would you be a surfer’s rep?
Not right now, no. Down the track, maybe. I’m learning a lot, and I’ll talk to Jessi Miley-Dyer, who’s a rep, or Layne, who has a lot of knowledge, and we need to stand up and be aware.

At somewhere like Bells, where’s there’s a men’s and women’s event, do you feel like you’re playing second fiddle?
Oh, there are times. You’re second priority , but at the same time that can work against the guys. Last year at Bells our waiting period was super short and we were in and out and got pretty good waves, while the guys had to stick around. The waves were smoking and ’cos it was the last day of our waiting period they had to run us. We take less time to run as well, so we’re way more flexible.

Okay, serious one to end on. How many times do you reckon you said “all time” on this trip?
Ha, all time. Heavy. You know what, whenever Mick says it I pick it up straight away, plus Bede says it, and Occy too. Were you counting?

I lost count.
I hate saying stoked, or epic, or super, but it happens.

I was excited the other day when your ice-cream was “hectic”.
Well it was pink, it was crazy. That’s it. Done. Thanks.

Interview by Binnsie // Pics by Shield