Australia's World No. 1 surfer and six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore is elated about the announcement made by the World Surf League (WSL) that it will offer equal prize money to both men and women from next year, making it America's first global sports league to apply pay parity.

"When I was told there was going to be equal pay for men and women, I pretty much cried," Gilmore told CNN Sport. Meanwhile, three-time world champion Carissa Moore said she was shocked but added it is huge for the sport of surfing and women in general: "The WSL has done so much for us as women over the years. This is a huge deal. It's more just the statement that it makes to be recognised on that level and to be respected as elite athletes with the men."