- WSL / KC
- WSL / KC

Bethany Hamilton (HAW) has been awarded the coveted wildcard for the Swatch Women's Pro, which kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 9 local time, with a window until Sept. 20.

Hamilton on Competing, Motherhood, More
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In a Skype interview with Joe Turpel, the Swatch Women's Pro wildcard talks motherhood and more.

The event will mark Hamilton's first appearance in competition since giving birth to her first child, Tobias Dirks, in June. The Hawaiian last battled some of the Top 17 women at the Women's Pipe Invitational in December 2014. In that exhibition heat, she took on reigning six-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), two-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) and 2014 world title runner-up Tyler Wright (AUS) in double-overhead surf at Pipeline.

"Thrilled to accept the wildcard for the Swatch Women's Pro," Hamilton said. "I have been surfing and competing at Lowers since I was a young girl and love the wave! Looking forward to getting a jersey back on among the best!"

Swatch Women's Pro wildcard Bethany Hamilton (HAW) has competed in several Championship Tour events before, including the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Portugal. She placed equal ninth in conditions similar to what will likely be on offer at Lowers Trestles. Plus: Read her interview.
- WSL / Kelly Cestari
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Swatch Women's Pro wildcard Bethany Hamilton (HAW) has competed in several Championship Tour events before, including the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Portugal. She placed equal ninth in conditions similar to what will likely be on offer at Lowers Trestles. Plus: Read her interview.
- WSL / Kelly Cestari
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"Bethany is one of the most inspiring surfers on the planet," Jessi Miley-Dyer, WSL Women's Commissioner, said. "She's incredibly powerful and tremendously talented and we're very happy to announce she'll compete alongside the world's best at the upcoming Swatch Women's Pro at Trestles.

"We've been speaking to her since early last season about potentially accepting a wildcard for a Championship Tour event," Miley-Dyer continued. "However, scheduling hasn't been in our favor until now and the WSL are very excited to see how she fares at one of the most high-performance waves on the planet."

Bethany baby Hamilton and her husband, Adam Dirks, had their first child in June. - WSL

Hamilton will take on current WSL No. 1 Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Silvana Lima (BRA) in Round 1.

Stop No. 7 on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), will air LIVE here and on the WSL mobile app. The contest runs in conjunction with the Hurley Pro at Trestles, event No. 8 on the men's CT.

The event, which made its first appearance on the Women's Tour last year, remains on the schedule this season thanks to the support of Swatch, who have announced their continued support of the event through 2017.

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