Tuesday, 16 April 2019:

STEPHANIE GILMORE of Australia looks on during the women's qualifying round of the World Surf League Surf Ranch Pro in Lemoore, California.

Stephanie Gilmore knows a big result at Bells Beach will set the tone as she aims for an eighth world surfing title.

The Australian star won the 2018 Rip Curl Pro and it become the springboard for last year's latest world crown triumph.

With teenage American starlet Caroline Marks coming off her first World Surf League win on the Gold Coast, Gilmore is determined to fire at the iconic Bells Beach event.

"I was thinking of all the years I've won Bells and I've gone on and won the title," the four-time winner of the Victorian leg of the championship said.

"It's a real statement event, for any of the surfers on tour, to do well here and set the pace.

"Clearly this event ... is crucial to winning that world title."

Like last year, Gilmore has started her season with a quarter-final loss.

Marks, 17, beat her in the last eight on the way to winning at Duranbah Beach.

"I was able to sit back and think 'alright, I wasn't sticking to my strategies properly'," Gilmore said of the tour opener.

"My coach and I really broke down what I need to do better and that's the coolest part of what I do.

"I've been on tour for 12 years and won lots of world titles but I'm still learning; that's the beauty of surfing."

Marks gave an early sign of her potential last year when she narrowly lost to Gilmore in a semi-final.

The Australian was 17 when she won on the Gold Coast for the first time.

"Caroline is an incredible force and her future is really bright," Gilmore said.

"She's a true asset to our sport and I can't wait to see what the future holds, but I will do my best to climb back from that loss on the Gold Coast."

AAP