Major Upsets and Landmark Returns Define Day 2 of Competition at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Saturday, April 4, 2026) – Today, women’s competition kicked off for 2026 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) at Stop No. 1, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy. A messy four-to-six-foot swell at Bells Bowl saw returning World Champions and Rookies alike face mixed fortunes with major upsets and breakthrough performances defining women’s Round One.

Competition was placed on hold following the first two heats of men’s Round Two as the rising tide limited opportunities, before competition was later called off the day. Following the daylight savings change overnight, the next call will be at 6:45 a.m. AEST tomorrow, Sunday, April 5, for a possible 7:05 a.m. start.

Moore Reclaims Winning Feeling as Silva Ends Gilmore’s Fairytale Return

Round One of women’s competition saw the return of two of the greatest surfers of all time to full-time competition. Five-time World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) and eight-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) hit the water in Victoria with Gilmore in search of a fifth Bell and Moore looking to claim a fourth.

Moore was able to reclaim that winning feeling immediately, earning a comfortable victory over Californian Sawyer Lindblad (USA). The 33-year-old Olympic Gold Medalist kept busy, eventually finding a clean face that allowed her to open up with her trademark power on rail to earn a 7.50 (out of a possible 10). Moore backed it up and continued her quest for her first event win as a mother, advancing to Round Two, where she will take on defending Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Isabella Nichols (AUS). 

“It feels so good, I have the biggest smile on my face,” Moore said. “A lot of firsts today, I was a little bit nervous, but mostly just excited. I’m very happy that I was able to at least find one and keep advancing so I can surf again. There is nothing better than coming into my daughter and my husband on the beach. She’s been the biggest gift and biggest blessing. I’m just grateful that I get to be a mom. I really just want to perform the way that I know that I can. A year ago, after giving birth, I wasn’t able to walk to the mailboxes, so I feel like today was just a win to be able to put the jersey on and walk down the stairs and to come in and see, I had to take a moment. I looked at the crowd. I was like, I don’t know how many more times I’m going to be able to do this here. It feels so special and I’m just trying to soak it in.”

It was a different story for Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), who struggled to find her rhythm in the challenging conditions. Reigning Bells runner-up Luana Silva (BRA) surfed a smart heat, posting two mid-range scores for a two-wave total of 11.83 to overcome Gilmore and end any chance of a fairytale return to the elite level. As the surfer who replaced Gilmore on the CT for both 2024 and 2025, Silva had mixed feelings about defeating her idol in the first heat of the season for both surfers.

“I don’t think I could have had a harder matchup,” Silva said. “[Stephanie Gilmore’s] won four Bells out here. She’s the GOAT, eight-time world champ. I think she had more to lose than I did, but at the same time, these last two years, I actually got her spot when she wanted to take the break. I was like, thanks Steph, now I can’t be your friend in the water. No, but I’m stoked. She’s been my inspiration since I was eight years old. Her style is insane, I have the most respect for her. I think she’s just the GOAT. I don’t have much more to say. I love her. I think we all do.”

Rookies and Returners Deliver as Challenger Series Graduates Shine in Round One

Mixed results for the seven women to qualify from the Challenger Series saw big opening heat wins for CT Rookies Francisca Veselko (POR), Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) and Anat Lelior (ISR), with returners Sally Fitzgibbons(AUS) and Alyssa Spencer (USA) also moving forward with momentum. 

Spencer kick-started her return to the elite level with an impressive win over Challenger Series winner and 2026 Rookie Tya Zebrowski (FRA). The 23-year-old was able to sift through the lump and bumps on the Bells Bowl to find a smooth face to get to work on, belting her way to an excellent 8.33, the equal highest of the event so far, to win the heat with a two-wave combination of 13.76 (out of a possible 20). It is the second time in as many events that Spencer has overcome Zebrowski, having defeated the 15-year-old on her road to victory in the Bioglan Newcastle SURFEST, the final event of the Challenger Series. Spencer will now shift her focus to 2023 World Champion and fellow Californian resident Caroline Marks (USA), whom she will meet in Heat 1 of Round Two.

“That was so much fun,” Spencer said. “I was so happy that that wave came through. It was really hard to find a wave with a steep bowl out there, and that set cleaned up perfectly. It was fun to just lay into it. Of course, I was a little bit nervous before this heat. Tya [Zebrowski] is an amazing competitor, and she can turn any wave into a crazy score. I knew it was going to be an exciting heat and a tough one. I’m looking forward to many more heats like that with her on Tour.”

Fransisca Veselko (POR) defeated three-time Bells Beach Semifinalist Brisa Hennessy (CRC) in her first appearance in the event. The 2022 World Junior Champion, Veselko, was able to carve through clean open faces to post a pair of rides in the 6-point range. It was the first CT heat win for Veselko, who has competed in two prior events as a Wildcard. 

“It’s crazy to be here, such an iconic event,” Veselko said. “I’ve been watching this for years, and it’s insane to be here right now, making my first heat. It’s unbelievable, I’m way too happy right now and I think I’ve got to calm down because there’s more to come. Nothing compares to this feeling. I’m where I’ve always dreamed of being. Surfing takes you through so many ups and downs. Even in Newcastle, I lost the first round, and it was a hard one. Right now, first heat on Tour, and I’m right here talking with you, just made it through, and it’s insane. I’m really thankful and stoked to be here.”

It was also the first CT heat wins for Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) and Anat Lelior(ISR), who defeated second-year CT’ers Bella Kenworthy (USA) and Vahine Fierro (FRA), respectively. Two solid backhand hits from Lelior on a solid Bells wall earned the equal highest single wave score of the day, an 8.33, in her first-ever CT showing.

Pittar Stuns Ewing With Sweet Revenge in Round Two Upset

The opening men’s Round One heat saw CT veteran Miguel Pupo (BRA) mount a strong late-heat comeback to defeat Joel Vaughan (AUS), before a highly anticipated matchup between two of Australia’s foremost rail surfers produced a major upset. Ethan Ewing (AUS), the 2023 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner and current World No. 6, was eliminated in his very first heat by George Pittar (AUS). It was sweet revenge for the Sydney surfer, who was knocked out by Ewing in a similar round at his first-ever CT appearance at Bells Beach in 2024. After a slow start from both surfers, Pittar found a long wall to attack, posting a 7.67 to take a slim lead before a 6.90 backup left Ewing needing an excellent score when the buzzer sounded.

“They dropped the draw like three weeks ago or something, so I had about three weeks to just look at my first matchup,” Pittar said. “Ethan [Ewing]’s my favourite surfer, especially out here, he’s so unbelievable. I knew it was going to be a pretty big mountain to climb. It feels pretty good standing here right now, to be honest.”

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women’s Round One Results
HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 11.84 DEF. Yolanda Hopkins (POR) 9.60
HEAT 2: Alyssa Spencer (USA) 13.76 DEF. Tya Zebrowski (FRA) 12.16
HEAT 3: Francisca Veselko (POR) 12.67 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 9.10
HEAT 4: Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) 11.40 DEF. Bella Kenworthy (USA) 10.67
HEAT 5: Anat Lelior (ISR) 13.83 DEF. Vahine Fierro (FRA) 13.50
HEAT 6: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.50 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 8.00
HEAT 7: Luana Silva (BRA) 11.83 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 6.10
HEAT 8: Lakey Peterson (USA) 11.73 DEF. Ellie Harrison (AUS) 9.60

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round Two Results
HEAT 1: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.17 DEF. Joel Vaughan (AUS) 12.07
HEAT 2: George Pittar (AUS) 14.57 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 12.34

Remaining Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round Two Matchups
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Luke Thompson (RSA)
HEAT 4: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 5: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Dane Henry (AUS)
HEAT 7: Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
HEAT 8: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Morgan Cibilic (AUS)
HEAT 9: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Mateus Herdy (BRA)
HEAT 10: Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA)
HEAT 11: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 12: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Eli Hanneman (HAW)
HEAT 13: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Xavier Huxtable (AUS)
HEAT 14: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX)
HEAT 15: Connor O’Leary (JPN) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 16: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy will run at Bells Beach from April 1 – 11, 2026. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Also, 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, Visit Victoria, Surf Coast Shire, Bonsoy, WSL One Ocean, Red Bull, Apple, True Surf, Surfline, I-Sea, YETI, eero, Stone & Wood, Hydralyte, GWM, Fatboy Bikes, Bond University, mophie, Boost Mobile, Volley, Bioglan and RACV.