Rip Curl signs Stephanie Gilmore, launches massive PR counteroffensive amid wreckage of trans misstep

"It’s an iconic deal. It’s historic," says Gilmore of an eight-year contract worth between six and ten million.

Two months after Rip Curl exploded into Bud Light-esque flames after its celebration of T-Girl Sasha Jane Lowerson, the company has launched a counteroffensive the likes not seen since Operation Uranus in World War II.

You’ll remember the calls to boycott Rip Curl after high-profile American swimmer Riley Gaines slammed Rip Curl as “crazzzyyyy” and skater Taylor Silverman wrote, “According to Rip Curl this man is a ‘waterwoman’…reality is he’s just a mentally ill man making a complete mockery of actual women and “The “community” is so supportive that Rip Curl had to disable the comments!”

Shortly after splitting with shark-attack survivor Bethany Hamilton reportedly because of her anti-trans-gals-in-sports views, Rip Curl had joined two other Australian swimsuit brands in a pivot to the queer market.

In a moving post that was later deleted,

Rip Curl described Sasha Jane Lowerson as a “West Australian waterwoman who loves the freedom found in surfing, disconnecting from the mainstream, and the feeling of dancing on constantly changing waves… It’s a state of mind, always being ready to try something new, curious to seek out knowledge and learn the rules – and break them.⁠”

Calls to boycott quickly followed and the question at the time was, how much was Rip Curl owner Kathmandu willing to lose in sales to push the trans agenda?

Well, that question has now been answered after Rip Curl signed an eight-year deal in the “multi-millions” with the recently semi-retired Stephanie Gilmore although how many multis is unspecified.

Three hundred gees a year would put Gilmore’s deal in the multi-millions, although Rip Curl did say “it is one of the biggest deals in Australian sport to date”.

I’d guess eight hundred gees a year, maybe a little more.

The eight-time champ will be forty-four when the cheques stop.

“To be able to partner with Rip Curl on a deal that not only for myself, but for women in sport is something that’s truly groundbreaking, just it feels right,” said Stephanie Gilmore.

“You can align yourself with brands for certain things but unless it really feels authentic and true to who you are, then the audience can feel that. It feels right to me, and I’m super happy with that.

“It’s an iconic deal. It’s historic. And there’s something about that, that makes me feel proud to know that I’m allowing this space to open up for the women of the next generations – and also for the companies that we’re working alongside to realise that this is a fantastic way to celebrate female athletes and it can be very healthy and successful for both of us.”

The zenith for Stephanie Gilmore’s career came in 2022 when she dominated Finals Day, starting in fifth place, mowing through all-comers before beating Carissa Moore in the winner-take-all surf-off.