It seems that Stephanie Gilmore won't be the only woman staging something of a comeback at the upcoming Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover.
Legend Lisa Andersen has decided to surf the Moskova trials after eight years of retirement.
"She still rips. I've hung out with her a little bit recently and she is surfing so well. I'm sure she'll do really well," Gilmore said Tuesday.
Andersen is good. Always was. She won four world championships from 1994 to 1997. She is one of the most influential surfers of all time and Hall of Famer. Today she helps run marketing for Roxy and is a mother of two.
While the ASP reports that she is from Huntington Beach, all East Coasters know that she is from Ormond Beach, Fla.
Andersen is 42 years old. Kelly Slater will surf the men's Quiksilver Pro after just turning 40 last week. At no time in pro surfing's history has the age range of competitors been so wide, making for very interesting match-ups. She last competed in 2004.
"When I'm free surfing every day, it's always like a part of me is hungry to compete for waves. That never dies within. It always lives on for me, and I'm sure other girls. You're always wanting to try to get better and to get the best wave, and always competing with the boys for waves," she told the ASP.
Andersen went on to discuss how much talent the Women's tour has now, and the upcoming clashes between the veterans and young blood, including Carissa Moore, who took the world title in 2011, her rookie season.
"I think that Lisa has paved the way for so many of the girls in this generation who want to surf with power and grace, and be sexy in the water and be feminine on the land and I think she was the first female to gain that respect from the men in such a male-dominated industry," Gilmore said.
The trials will be held on Feb. 24 at Snapper Rocks. The winner receives a wild card into the main event.