SNAPPING AT SNAPPER BY PETER “JOLI” WILSON

SURFER: STEPHANIE GILMORE

LOCATION: SNAPPER ROCKS

DATE: MARCH, 2018

Local favourite and seven-time world champ Stephanie Gilmore attacks the lip in front of a packed public gallery on her way to a quarter-final finish at the 2018 Roxy Gold Coast Pro. Snapper Rocks has been a happy hunting ground for Gilmore, who has won the event at her home break seven times. Steph first surfed to victory at the Roxy Pro at Snapper in 2005 as a teenage wildcard, skipping school to compete and it was obvious to all they were witnessing the beginning of a stellar surfing career. Steph grew up competing for the Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club against young male surfers her age and developed the cool competitive composure that saw her claim the world title in six of her first eight years on tour. She’s held down a top five finish for 13 seasons in her 15 year-long career, with 32 career victories, making her the most dominant female surfer in pro surfing history. Gold Coast-based photographer Peter Wilson has been documenting the world’s best surfers for 40 years and has twice won the Surfing Australia Surf Photo of the Year Award.