Steph Gilmore, D’bah, Gold Coast

Steph Gilmore’s back. After a home invasion and assault at the beginning of last year, the 24-year-old understandably took some time to recover, missing the year’s opening event at Snapper and struggling to find her feet through the rest of 2011’s tour. But it was a different Steph who belted down the line at Snapper this year. Saying she breezed through her heats might be a touch liberal, but it ain’t that far off. And, d’you think the vibe of winning is good for confidence? “To be carried up the beach with your friends underneath you with thousands of people around has got to be one of the best feelings in the world,” she said after the win. “It took me back to 2005 when I won here as a grom. Last year went so quickly and it felt like I didn’t even exist on the rankings and that fire wasn’t really there. This year it’s so good to have that back! My cheeks are so sore from smiling already.”

And smile she does. Even in this photo, mid-swerve, she’s getting her cheshire cat on. “I love how infectious her smile is,” agrees Ryan. “Even during this turn, where most people would be putting on the most heinous game face. And she should be smiling, too, as she’s right back on track for world title number five. You can’t help but smile with her.”

On this day, Ryan had set up on the breakwall and was shooting across D’bah to the north end. “Steph surfed right underneath the wall at what I thought was way too close for the amount of lens I had ponied up on my camera,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever shot a surf photo this tight before. Pretty fired up on the Nikon lenses and the detail in the foam on the wave and even in her hair.” So are we.