Sierra Kerr Lands Surfing’s First Backflip by a Woman (Video)

Sierra Kerr has accomplished a lot in her 18 years. World Junior Surfing Champion. Four-time Stab High winner. A groundbreaking video part at proper Teahupo’o. One of the best female surfers in the world just added another trick to her ever-growing bag, and it happens to be a first for women’s surfing: a backflip. And she did it on her first try of the night, no less. 

Sierra landed the flip at URBNSURF Sydney, the public wavepool powered by Wavegarden Cove tech. Under the lights at the same venue she won her fourth Stab High title less than a month ago, she leaned backward into an off-axis rotation, grabbed both rails and came down clean. It’s not a Hughie Vaughan “stalefish flipper,” but it’s an impressive bar to set for Sierra and the rapidly ascending talent in women’s surfing. 

In a brief BTS video posted by Surfing Australia, Sierra gleefully reviewed the clip poolside next to her father. “I’ve been trying that for like three years, it’s crazy,” she said. “And I just landed it first try.”

It’s fitting that Sierra would land surfing’s first female flip, given her family history. Her pops, Josh Kerr, patented the "Kerrupt flip," an alley-oop-esque air in his heyday. But making history hasn't come easy for Sierra. Most of 2025 has been a battle for Sierra as she deals with the ramifications of Lyme disease. She's gone from barely being able to walk and spending nights in the hospital to winning contests and landing a never-been-done move in less than a year. You just can't keep the Kerrs down.