Stephanie Gilmore repeats as world surfing champion

I just returned from a holiday and learned that Stephanie Gilmore has established the beginnings of a dynasty.

The personable Australian today won the Roxy Pro in three- to six-foot waves at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, to clinch her second world title in as many years.

That's two championships in two years on the ASP Women's World Tour, and there's no reason to believe Gilmore won't eventually catch fellow Aussie Layne Beachley, who has seven world titles and will retire from competitive surfing after the season.

Gilmore, 20, with a best-two-waves score of 15.83, prevailed in the final over Brazil's Silvana Lima and Australia's Jessi Miley-Dyer and Nicola Atherton.

Peru's Sofia Mulanovich, who was closest to Gilmore in the points race, was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The Roxy Pro is the second jewel in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. The series champion will be decided during the season-ending Billabong Pro Maui, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 8.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Stephanie Gilmore cuts back on a Sunset Beach right-hander en route to winning her second world title in as many years. Credit: Vans Triple Crown of Surfing/Covered Images