Competition Called ON at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy

Surfs clean offshore and pumping with long 4-6′ lines sweeping into Bells…it’s going to be a massive day.

Victoria Australia is 21 hours ahead of Hawaii. So, the call was made 1030am for an 11am start HI time Monday. SNN

Men’s Opening Round Started at 8:00 AM AEDT
Women’s Opening Round and Men’s Elimination Round to Follow
Watch LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com

Pictured: 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) warms up for the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in yesterday’s expression session before opening day. He will compete against John John Florence (HAW) and Seth Moniz (HAW) in Heat 3 today. Credit: © WSL / Aaron Hughes

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Tuesday, March 26, 2024) – The opening day of competition has been called ON at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 4 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT). Today’s early rounds have been graced with clean surf in the four-to-six-foot range. The men’s Opening Round will commence at 8:00 a.m. AEDT, with the women’s Opening Round and Men’s Elimination Round to follow.

The first heat of the day will see Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) take on two competitors in their first appearances at Bells, Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) and CT Rookie Kade Matson (USA).

Heat 3 will be a must-watch with 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) taking on two-time World Champion John John Florence (HAW) and Seth Moniz (HAW). Slater and Florence will look to add another Bell to their list of CT wins, while Moniz continues to search for his first.

Caroline Marks (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), and Sophie McCulloch (AUS) will battle in Heat 2 of the Women’s Opening Round. Marks will be looking to capitalize on her strong backhand surfing as she looks for her maiden win at Bells.

Local hero India Robinson (AUS) will compete in Heat 5 today. The 23-year-old will work to climb back up the rankings this week, and now in familiar territory at her home break. She will be against 2024 standout Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) and CT veteran Lakey Peterson (USA).

Heat 3 will be an all-Australian affair featuring World No. 1 Molly Picklum (AUS), Isabella Nichols (AUS), and Trial’s winner Ellie Harrison (AUS). Nichols made the Quarterfinals at Sunset Beach and looks to carry this momentum through to back up her best result at Bells, a third-place finish.

Tyler Wright (AUS) will round out the last women’s heat of the day against Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) and two-time event winner Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Wright has won this event back-to-back the past two seasons, and all eyes will be on her opening heat to see if she can bring the same momentum for a third-straight win here at Bells.

Watch the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com.

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Kade Matson (USA)
HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Deivid Silva (BRA)
HEAT 3: John John Florence (HAW), Seth Moniz (HAW), Kelly Slater (USA)
HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS), Rio Waida (INA), Morgan Cibilic (AUS)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Goerge Pittar (AUS)
HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Jacob Willcox (AUS), Tully Wylie (AUS)
HEAT 7: Jordy Smith (RSA), Ian Gentil (HAW), Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Imaikalani Devault (HAW), Eli Hanneman (HAW)
HEAT 9: Connor O’Leary (JPN), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 10: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Liam O’Brien (AUS), Cole Houshmand (USA)
HEAT 11: Jake Marshall (USA), Crosby Colapinto (USA), Callum Robson (AUS)
HEAT 12: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Yago Dora (BRA), Frederico Morais (POR)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Johanne Defay (FRA), Luana Silva (BRA), Alyssa Spencer (USA)
HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Ellie Harrison (AUS)
HEAT 4: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
HEAT 5: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Lakey Peterson (USA), India Robinson (AUS)
HEAT 6: Tyler Wright (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

EARLIER UPDATES BELOW

Competition to Start Tuesday at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy

Good forecast to get going day one of holding period.

Victoria Australia is 21 hours ahead of Hawaii. So, the call was made 1030am HI time Monday.

Promising Forecast for Opening Day Start Tomorrow at Bells Beach
Rankings’ Leaders Picklum and Colaptino Eye Maiden Wins at Bells
Local Favorite India Robinson Hosts WSL Rising Tides at Bells Beach
Ellie Harrison, George Pittar, and Tully Wylie Claim Spots via Rip Curl Victoria Trials

Pictured: CT competitors have arrived in Victoria for the 2024 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy. [From L-R] Griffin Colapinto (USA), India Robinson (AUS), Johanne Defay (FRA), Molly Picklum (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), and Ethan Ewing (AUS) at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach press confernece. Credit: © WSL / Ed Sloane

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Monday, March 25, 2024) – The world’s best surfers have arrived in Victoria, Australia, ahead of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy for Stop No. 4 of the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). The event holds a competition window from tomorrow, March 26, through April 5, and with a promising forecast on hand, the competition will likely commence tomorrow at Bells Beach. A call will be made at 7:30 a.m. AEDT for a potential 8:00 a.m. start.

With a massive mix of winners at the first three events of the 2024 Championship Tour season, the rankings are wide open for those hoping to qualify for the WSL Final 5 and for those looking to move above the Mid-season Cut line before the end of the Australian leg.

Fresh off a runner-up finish at the recent MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Ethan Ewing (AUS) arrives on Australian soil sitting second on the rankings and in a great position to defend his title here at Bells Beach. The stylish natural footer has an approach made for Bells Beach, and he’s feeling confident ahead of his Opening Round heat.

“Last year was such a special event for me, and it will be pretty hard to top that one,” Ewing said. “There was a lot of work that went into it, as well as my mum’s history here – the win meant a lot. It’s a challenging event to win, and I’m just excited to do my best here and try and enjoy myself. I saw my name on the stairs this morning, and I want to put it on there again this year.”

After a slow start to the 2024 CT season, Gabriel Medina (BRA) has found momentum ahead of Bells following a win at the ISA World Games and a Semifinal finish last week in Portugal. The three-time WSL Champion holds 18 CT event wins but is yet to make a Finals appearance at Bells Beach. Knowing the history and prestige attached to ‘ringing the Bell,’ Medina is looking to add Bells to his impressive list of victories.

“It’s good to be back in Australia and Bells Beach,” said Medina. “I always enjoy my time here and have spent a lot of time here over the years. I’m not sure why I haven’t had major success here; it’s a wave I like to surf. I’m feeling good after the last couple of events, so I think this could be the year for me to go deep here at Bells.”

Rankings’ Leaders Picklum and Colaptino Eye Maiden Wins at Bells

Molly Picklum (AUS) has once again returned to Australia wearing the yellow Leader Jersey at Bells this week as she holds onto the No. 1 position. After finishing a close second to Tyler Wright (AUS) last year at Bells, Molly has her sights clearly set on going one further and ringing the Bell in 2024.

“Last year was tough; it’s hard to go all the way through an event and fall short in the last heat of the event,” Picklum said. “Tyler was surfing so well last year and deserved that win, but I want to make sure it’s me ringing that Bell this year. Being in yellow is great, but it’s early in the year, and I need to be in yellow at the end of the year when it really counts.”

Following a win at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Griffin Collapinto (USA) will now wear the yellow Leader Jersey coming into Bells. With hopes of returning to home soil for the WSL Finals, Collapinto is seeking a maiden win at the Bells Rip Curl Pro in order to secure his position as part of the WSL Final 5.

World’s Best Inspire Next Generation at WSL Rising Tides Bells Beach

A group of the Women’s CT elite, including current World No. 2 Joanne Defay (FRA), alongside Caitlin Simmers (USA), India Robinson (AUS), Luana Silva (BRA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), took some time on Monday before the competition started to share the pumping Bells lineup with a frothing bunch of groms from the local area.

Before hitting the water, local surfer India Robinson (AUS) took the group through various mindfulness activities. Robinson spoke about the benefits of goal setting as a professional athlete and incorporated it into everyday life.

“It was really cool being down on the beach and seeing all of the young girls from around here, and especially seeing how many of them there are,” said Robinson. “It’s really special to see how many girls in Victoria are enjoying being in the water now, so to run an event like WSL Rising Tides and give them the opportunity to surf and learn from their idols is a pretty special moment for them. I’m just grateful to be a part of it and be able to share my knowledge with them and hopefully inspire them to keep chasing their goals. Hopefully, in a few years, they’ll join us on Tour. It brought me back to being an eight-year-old little girl frothing on the beach, watching Carissa and Steph, so I was stoked to be able to provide them with some tips out in the water today.”

The group had the opportunity to surf dreamy lines at Bells, with the pros actively supporting and inspiring younger surfers, sharing insights and pushing groms into some of the most memorable waves of their junior careers.

Ellie Harrison, George Pittar and Tully Wylie Claim Spots Via Rip Curl Victoria Trials

The Rip Curl Victoria Trials saw local duo Tully Wylie (AUS) and Ellie Harrison (AUS), along with Sydney’s George Pittar (AUS), earn spots in the main draw of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Bonsoy. Wylie and Harrison were able to claim the local Trials, whilst Pittar overcame his fellow Rip Curl team riders to book himself a spot in his first CT event.

Harrison will take on current World No. 1 Molly Picklum (AUS) and Isabella Nichols (AUS) in Heat 3 of the Opening Round. Pittar will be up against the reigning Bells event winner Ethan Ewing (AUS) and Matthew McGillivray (RSA) in Heat 5 of the Opening Round. Wylie will face World No.1 Griffin Colapinto (USA) and fellow Rip Curl team rider Jacob Wilcox (AUS) in heat 6 of the Opening Round.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Watch LIVE
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy competition window opens on Tuesday, March 26 and closes on Sunday, April 6, 2024. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners. For fans watching in the United States, coverage of the competition’s Quarterfinals and beyond will continue co-exclusively on WorldSurfLeague.com and ESPN+.

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy is proudly supported by Rip Curl, Visit Victoria, Bonsoy, Red Bull, SHISEIDO, YETI, Surfline, TrueSurf, Eventbrite, Apple Watch, GWM, Oakberry, Bailey Ladders, Boost Mobile, Coopers, Bond University, Bioglan, Weatherguard, Hydralyte, and mophie.