Rip Curl has just announced it signed eight-time world surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore. The multi-million dollar agreement will last for eight years, the beginning of which will coincide with Gilmore’s year-long sabbatical from the Championship Tour.
Gilmore has a long and storied career in professional surfing, having clinched the WSL World Champion title eight times. However, back in January, Gilmore announced that she would be taking some time off from the CT. Unlike Carissa Moore’s similar announcement, Gilmore’s time off from the tour has an end date. She would be taking just a one-year sabbatical that would end with her returning to competitive surfing for the 2025 season.
“I am planning to take this time as a refresh for myself physically, mentally, and enjoy following swells and free surfing in new places,” said Gilmore in a press release. “I have some projects and trips I want to do, which haven’t been possible while traveling during the season. I am still passionate and dedicated to competing, and I have goals and dreams that I am still chasing – I’m excited for this year to activate those and I look forward to returning in 2025.”
Though Gilmore had previously been signed to Roxy/Quiksilver for over a decade, she also has a long history with Rip Curl. Gilmore’s relationship with the brand first began in 2000 when she first signed with them at 12 years old. From there, she went on to win her first four World Championships as a Rip Curl sponsee: 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
“This really feels like a new era in my career,” Gilmore said of her return to the brand. “In taking a year-off my aim was to just go surfing. To reconnect with what surfing really means to me and how I can share that with the world. So when this opportunity came up to join The Search with Rip Curl, traveling the world, finding waves, having fun, it was the perfect alignment – there’s so much to be inspired about.”
The Rip Curl announcement coincided with the news that the brand had also extended its contracts with Molly Picklum, Erin Brooks, Alyssa Spencer, and Crosby Colapinto.
