STEPHANIE Gilmore says she has returned to full fitness ahead of next week's Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach.

The 23-year-old entered the season-opening Quiksilver Pro Snapper Rocks just six weeks after having her wrist broken in a brutal assault outside her Tweed Heads apartment.

The reigning four-time world champion fell to an uncharacteristic quarter-final loss at her home event, and relinquished her ASP world number one spot for the first time since September 2008.

But the defending Bells Beach champion says the wrist is healed and she is ready for an improved performance at the April 19-to-25 event.

“The Gold Coast event was obviously a bit disappointing for me in terms of results, but I felt like I wasn't at 100 per cent so I was happy with the effort in finishing fifth,” she said.

“I feel like my wrist is much stronger now and I've been putting time in with my shaper and working on my equipment.

“Hopefully that will transfer to an improved performance at Bells.”

A three-time past champion of the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach (2007, 2008, 2010), Gilmore is the event favourite and will look to utilise her stylish and powerful forehand assault on the Bells Beach right-hand canvas.

“I love the vibe down at Bells,” Gilmore said. “You never know what you're going to get in terms of waves and weather and I guess that keeps everything interesting.

“I've had a good run there over the past few years and hopefully we can get some good surf there this season.”

With a fresh crop of talent injected into the ASP Top 17 over the past two seasons, this year's ASP Women's World Title race is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested on record.

Gilmore's campaign for a fifth consecutive ASP Women's World Title this year will be made much more difficult by current ASP Women's World No.1 Carissa Moore, 18, from Hawaii, and fellow Aussies perennial threat Sally Fitzgibbons, 20, and lethal rookie Tyler Wright, 17, and plenty of others.

“All the girls are ripping these days and there are no easy heats,” Gilmore said. “That much was apparent up on the Gold Coast and it's an exciting time for women's surfing. The level is being pushed by everyone and I'm just going to go out there and try to have fun.”

Hawaiian Bethany Hamilton, 20, has been awarded the wildcard into the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach where she will tee off against one of the top seeds from the outset of competition.

“This year especially, the Women's Top 17 has a lot of new, young girls who are driven and competitive, and who have so much talent that they are pushing the level of women's surfing more and more,” said Hamilton.

“It's really exciting to watch; therefore I'm excited to compete at Bells.”