On the Gold Coast, Australian comeback star Julian Wilson pulled off a stunning upset by defeating world rankings leader Italo Ferreira at the World Surf League (WSL) Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro on May 9, 2025. Wilson, who had to earn his wildcard into the event by winning a qualifying competition, showcased remarkable skill and determination as he rode a near-perfect wave to secure his place in the quarter-finals.
Just a day prior, the surfing world witnessed another shocking result when eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore eliminated reigning world champion Caity Simmers in her first event back after an 18-month hiatus. With these unexpected outcomes, the stage was set for a thrilling competition at Burleigh Heads.
Wilson, 37, displayed his prowess in the round of 32, stunning Ferreira with a final score of 11.33 to Ferreira's 8.00. "He’s been dominating for a little while now, the whole time I’ve been away," Wilson told WSL after the match. "He was the favorite, but I wanted to keep a clean sheet." This victory marked Wilson's fifth consecutive win over Ferreira, further solidifying his status as a formidable competitor.
What made Wilson's victory even more remarkable was the fact that he nearly missed his start time, believing his heat was scheduled to begin half an hour later. "It got the heart-rate going very quickly but it kind of worked in my favour," he explained. "I didn’t really get to watch the conditions, I planned to have another 30 minutes to get in the water and ride some waves. It kind of worked in my favour cause the line-up’s super tricky this morning and I felt like I adapted pretty well as I think if I had expectations of better waves it would have been harder to tune into what was actually going on."
After his impressive performance against Ferreira, Wilson continued to build on his momentum in the next round. He faced off against France’s Marco Mignot just hours later, delivering an even better performance. Wilson scored an impressive 18.00, with waves earning him scores of 8.50 and a stunning 9.50. Mignot, despite a solid effort that saw him post a combined score of 14.96 (with individual scores of 7.33 and 7.63), could not match Wilson's excellence.
"This is beyond my dreams at the moment," Wilson said after advancing to the quarter-finals. "Just to come in as it, you know, with an inkling of a chance with the trials, or really tough draw on the trial side, one surfer goes through, it’s actually, yeah, I didn’t dream of this moment. But it’s come really quick. And, yeah, I just feel like, as the event goes on, I’m sort of growing with the event, just really surprising myself with my performances."
Wilson’s remarkable journey back to the tour is particularly inspiring, as he stepped away from competitive surfing in 2021 to focus on his mental health. His return has been marked by resilience and determination, and now he finds himself in the quarter-finals, set to face Brazil's Miguel Pupo.
As the competition heats up, Wilson joins fellow Australian Morgan Ciblic in the quarter-finals, while the women’s quarter-finals await, with Gilmore among five Australians still in contention. The Gold Coast Pro has become a showcase for unexpected results and thrilling performances, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
With the WSL Championship Tour well underway, the anticipation for who will emerge as the next champion continues to build. Fans can watch the action unfold live and free on Kayo Freebies, ensuring they won’t miss a moment of the excitement.
