Bells Bowl Comes To Life at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy 

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Friday, April 25, 2025) – The fourth day of competition at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 5 of the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), has seen the Bells Bowl come to life and deliver pumping surf in the four-to-six-foot range for the completion of the men’s Round of 32 and first five heats of the Round of 16. ANZAC Day crowds braved the rain as the surfers put on some of the best performances of the men’s 2025 season so far. 

Ethan Ewing and Jake Marshall Put on a Clinic at Bells Beach 

2023 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Ethan Ewing (AUS) has continued to separate himself from the pack when it comes to this location, posting an 18.76 (out of a possible 20) two-wave total for his incredible speed and power on rail. Ewing’s heat total is the second-highest of the season so far and was too much for Connor O’Leary (JPN) to chase down, leaving Ewing to assert himself as the man to beat at Bells, once again.  

“That was such a fun heat,” Ewing said. “I’ve had some shockers out here with consistency, so it felt nice to get some waves and for the Bowl to give me one back. I feel like the whole heat went in my favor right from the start. I was able to get a few set waves early, which just set me up and allowed me to pick the eyes out of the rest of it. It was just so fun out there.”

Before he was outdone by Ewing, California’s Jake Marshall (USA) owned the highest heat total of the event so far for his 18.33, which he posted to despatch of Joao Chianca (BRA). Marshall’s wave selection was on point and allowed him to open up his tight carves in the pocket of the bowl. Not to be outdone, Chianca fought back, posting an excellent 8.07 single wave of his own, but it wasn’t enough to get out of the combination, leaving Marshall to progress into the Round of 16, where he will take on Yago Dora (BRA) when competition resumes. 

“That was insane, the best heat of my career for sure,” Marshall said. “I was watching the waves before my heat, and it looked so fun, and when I paddled out, I was just thinking, ‘This is why we do this, this is why we work so hard to get to this point, so we can surf waves like this.’ At that point, it’s not even about winning or losing, it’s just about putting on a show and surfing your best. I feel like I have been surfing well this year, but I haven’t been able to put it together, so it was great for everything to come together in my heat. That was the best Bells Bowl I have ever surfed, so to have it in my heat with just one other guy out was unreal. That was a really, really fun heat for me.”

Victoria Trials Winner Xavier Huxtable Takes Down World No. 1 Ferreira

The day’s opening heat saw yesterday’s trend of top seed upsets continue with the elimination of the current World No. 1, Italo Ferreira (BRA), at the hands of local favourite and Victorian Trials winner Xavier Huxtable (AUS). Huxtable took control of the heat early, smashing his first wave aggressively to earn a 7.33 and put Ferreira on the ropes early. From there, the local found rhythm with the sets while the 2019 World Champion was unable to, leaving Huxtable to progress into the Round of 16, and Ferreira was unable to claim his second Bell and finish an event before the Finals for the first time this year. 

“I can’t believe it. I literally can’t comprehend it, to be honest. I was paddling in trying to take it all in, but I still don’t think I have. It’s unbelievable,” said Huxtable. “I got up early this morning and went down to the Anzac Day parade at Point Danger, watched all that, and took all that in. Then I came straight here, went out, and luckily got a few out there. I saw the section pop up, and I just thought, ‘I have to go for it. To beat him [Italo Ferreira], he is one of the best surfers in the world. I just thought, ‘I’m going to have to attack every section that comes at me.’ I managed to pull it off, and I remember riding out thinking, ‘I’m stoked with that.’ I got to the end [of the wave], and I looked up, and the whole stand, all my family, friends, were screaming, and I gave them a little ‘come on!’. It got me so excited. That feeling is pretty much impossible to replicate. Hopefully, we can keep doing it for the Anzacs.”

Later today, Huxtable took on perennial title threat Griffin Colapinto (USA) in heat 5 of the Round of 16. As the tide filled in and waves began to slow, Colapinto got a couple of sets while Huxtable struggled to find his earlier rhythm. Huxtable ended up waiting for a set that never came, leaving Colapinto to take a heat win he desperately needed, putting him into the Quarterfinals for the first time this year as he looks to avoid the Mid-season Cut for the first time in his career. 

“It was a good day, for sure. That was a crazy heat. Super slow, I only caught two waves, Xavier [Huxtable] only caught one. It felt good to be on the other side of that,” Colapinto said. “I was just thinking about how cool it is to see the crowd cheering for Xavier. I was in that same position at Lowers during the Finals [at Trestles], so I was psyched for him. I didn’t let it feel like everyone is against me, I was just like, ‘They have so much love for their friend,’ so it was really cool. This year has been a tricky one. This is my first Finals Day. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, so it feels good to be on the other side. I feel like I’ve been surfing well all year. I feel like the heats I’ve been having, the other guy just goes huge or gets the score at the last minute. It’s been really hard to trust that everything I’m doing will pay off at some point, so it feels really good to get the win right now.”

Rip Curl Trials Winner Morgan Cibilic Books Spot in Quarterfinals 

Morgan Cibilic (AUS) caused a major upset in the Round of 16, taking down the current World No. 6 Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) and booking himself a spot in the Quarterfinals. Cibilic’s speed and power looked solid on the Bells Bowl as he prepares to take on Jordy Smith (RSA) for the first time when competition resumes. 

“I’m over the moon,” said Cibilic. “I feel like Leo [Fioravanti] and I have a little rivalry. He’s just such an intense competitor, and we have some battles, some good paddle battles. So, it feels pretty good to get the win over him. I’m good mates with some guys down here [in Torquay]. It’s such a tight-knit community, and when you are out there and look back at the grandstands, they’re all just choc-a-block, it couldn’t get any busier. Everyone’s on their feet, it’s pretty sick. I’m feeling good energy this weekend. It was Anzac Day today, I got up for the Dawn Service. It just felt like today had good energy as soon as I woke up. It went real slow in that heat, and went in my favour, and I just feel like that had something to do with it, so I’m stoked.”

Bells Experience Shows As Veterans Progress on Day 4 of Competition 

Event hopefuls Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Jack Robinson (AUS) continued their charge towards Finals Day, overcoming George Pittar (AUS) and Jackson Bunch (HAW) respectively. Bunch posted the highest single wave of his matchup with Robinson, earning an 8.60 for a series of massive backside turns, but the West Australian found two solid set waves to get the win with a heat total of 16.13. Toledo looked to be building, throwing airs and laying rail to move into the Round of 16, where he will matchup with Robinson. 

“Days like this are what we dream of,” Toledo said. “Coming down here first thing in the morning and seeing perfect waves is why we do it, so I’m really happy to have surfed today and get another chance in the next round. It’s been fun to come back after a year out. I haven’t had the results I wanted, but after 11 years of doing it, I feel like a rookie again, and that’s pretty cool. Coming up against George [Pittar] was always going to be hard. He’s a great surfer, and his surfing suits this wave, so I was ready for a big challenge. Every heat on the CT from the Opening Round is hard. The level is so high.” 

2017 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Jordy Smith (RSA) continued his form in 2025, booking a spot in the Quarterfinals with an impressive heat win over CT Rookie Joel Vaughan (AUS). Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) hopes to claim his maiden Bells victory and has kept the dream alive with a spot in the Quarterfinals, where he will have to get past Ethan Ewing (AUS) for a spot in the Semifinals.

For highlights from today’s competition at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. 

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round of 32 Remaining Results (Heats 9 – 16): 
HEAT 9: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) 13.66 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 9.67
HEAT 10: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.60 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 13.27
HEAT 11: Samuel Pupo (BRA) 14.66 DEF. Rio Waida (INA) 8.00
HEAT 12: Ian Gentil (HAW) 13.50 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.76
HEAT 13: Yago Dora (BRA) 12.46 DEF. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.73
HEAT 14: Jake Marshall (USA) 18.33 DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) 15.74
HEAT 15: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.60 DEF. George Pittar (AUS) 11.90
HEAT 16: Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.13 DEF. Jackson Bunch (HAW) 14.77

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round of 16 Results (Heats 1 – 5):
HEAT 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 18.76 DEF. Connor O’Leary (JPN) 13.34
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.60 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 13.03
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (RSA) 15.50 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 11.57
HEAT 4: Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 14.10 DEF. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 12.60
HEAT 5: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.90 DEF. Xavier Huxtable (AUS) 3.00

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round of 16 Remaining Matchups (Heats 6 – 8): 
HEAT 6: Samuel Pupo (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW)
HEAT 7: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 8: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Jack Robinson (AUS)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Luana Silva (BRA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
HEAT 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
HEAT 3: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS)
HEAT 4: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)

Watch LIVE
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy will hold a competition window through April 28, 2025. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, and the free WSL App. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy is proudly supported by Rip Curl, Bonsoy, Visit Victoria, Red Bull, YETI, Apple Watch, Surfline, True Surf, Surf Coast Shire, GWM, Stone & Wood, Oakberry, Hydralyte, Boost Mobile, Bioglan, Bond University, and Fatboy E-bikes.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.