Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy Set To Start Tomorrow with Promising Forecast

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Thursday, April 17, 2025) – The 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) season continues with Stop No. 5, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy. The world’s best surfers have arrived in Victoria, Australia, for the event, which holds a competition window from tomorrow, April 18, through April 28. The forecast looks promising for a big opening day of competition tomorrow, with the first call at 7:15 a.m. AEST for a potential 7:30 a.m. start.

The historic Bells Beach competition is the first of three events in the inaugural GWM Aussie Treble. All three competitions hold massive weight, with the Mid-season Cut looming after the final of the three, the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Big results from underdogs and a surprise upset for favorites at Stop No. 4 in El Salvador saw a huge shakeup in the rankings, with many top performers needing a successful Australia leg to secure their place on Tour.

Current Rankings Leaders Simmers and Ferreira Return to Chase Their Second Bell

Defending event winner Caity Simmers (USA) returns to Bells as World No. 1. The 19-year-old carried the momentum from her victory last year through to her first World Title, maintaining her status near the top of the rankings ever since. Across the four events so far this season, Simmers has placed in the Quarterfinals or better at every stop, including claiming victory at the inaugural Surf Abu Dhabi Pro. 

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Simmers said. “The travel is pretty wild. I just want to make a turn in my heat. That’s the goal, but yeah, I hope we get fun waves, and today the waves are really fun, so that’s a good sign.”

A dramatic finish to the 2024 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Final saw Simmers deliver a buzzer-beater to defeat Johanne Defay (FRA) and ring the iconic Bell trophy for the first time.

“I think it was just a thing of getting lucky in the last minute of the heat, and sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn’t, and it’s special,” Simmers continued. “I think it just makes me grateful to be a surfer because you can win a heat in the last thirty seconds, and it’s like not even up to you, it’s up to the ocean, and if it happens, then it’s the most exciting thing ever, and if it doesn’t, then you just hope it happens in the next one, so I think it just those moments make me really grateful to be a surfer. It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, then it’s really great.”

When Italo Ferreira (BRA) earned his first-ever CT victory at Bells Beach in 2018, it marked a massive turning point in his career, leading to a World Title in 2019 and an Olympic Gold Medal in 2021. As a result, the current World No. 1 holds a special place in his heart for the Victorian coastline, where he has made Finals Day in four out of the past seven events. The 2018 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach saw Ferreira defeat three-time World Champion Mick Fanning(AUS) in his last event as a full-time competitor. The following season at Bells, the Brazilian was defeated by Jordy Smith (RSA) in the Quarterfinals, a scenario that repeated itself last weekend at the Surf City El Salvador Pro, where Ferreira again lost to Smith in the Quarterfinals. 

“I was watching [the celebration video from the 2018 win at Bells] this morning,” said Ferreira. “I was showing my girl the video, and then I saw Mick [Fanning] after that with his kid, and it was so special. I had chicken skin. That was my first win, and then after that, I had two more in 2018, but I didn’t have the chance to fight for the Title, and that was terrible for me. It’s really special to be back because you can remember all those moments. It’s kind of different now because I’m the top and No. 1 and this makes me more motivated to win and do my best.”

Smith Brings Decades of Experience and Fresh Momentum to Bells Beach

Jordy Smith (RSA) heads to Bells Beach with major momentum following his first CT victory in eight years at the Surf City El Salvador Pro. The 37-year-old now sits at World No. 5 and enters a key stretch of right-hand point breaks known to suit his surfing, especially with Bells Beach being his last CT win in 2017. 

“I’m an absolute surf dog, surf frother at heart, and that’s really what it’s about for me,” said Smith. “I love to surf, so I wake up every morning and get out there. I’m 20 years older than some of the people on Tour, so I just have them inspire me and push me. That’s all I can really ask for, and I just kind of keep swinging.”

With 17 years on the CT, Smith brings a wealth of experience to one of the Tour’s most iconic stops as he continues to strengthen his World Title campaign in 2025. Bells Beach holds special memories for Smith, being the first location he traveled to outside of South Africa. With momentum and experience on his side, Smith will be one to watch during the Aussie Treble. He will first come up against George Pittar (AUS) and Edgard Groggia (BRA) in Heat 3 of the Opening Round. 

“I first came to Bells when I was 12 years old,” Smith continued. “It was the very first place I traveled to outside of South Africa, and I’d always just really wanted to come to Bells Beach. Showing up here for the first time was just a dream come true. It’s been a lot more built up since. I think we stayed at the caravan park, but just seeing it for the first time as a child was a childhood dream, and I still get that feeling when I run down the stairs, whether the names are on it or not, the environment and the people that are around here are incredible, really warm and welcoming, and I think the surfers really appreciate you guys hosting us every year and looking out for us.” 

Picklum Eyes First Win in Home Country, Brooks Prepares for First CT Heats at Bells 

The only surfer on Tour to have placed Semifinals or better in all four events so far this season, Molly Picklum (AUS) returns to Australia ranked World No. 3 and ready to claim her first victory on home soil. After a classic Aussie clash saw her finish runner-up to two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) in 2023, Picklum is hungrier than ever to ring the Bell and add her name alongside past champions.

“I’m really happy, and I’ve got natural energy coming back home with three events in Australia,” Picklum said. “I feel like I’ve had so many fun heats with Caity [Simmers] and, yeah, I feel, I don’t know, there’s no one particular, I feel like I’m just really enjoying the tour and all the bits and bobs that the tour has. But I feel like my battles with Caity are always really fun.”

Tour Rookie Erin Brooks (CAN) may be competing in her first CT event at Bells Beach in 2025, but the 17-year-old already has fond memories of the Bells Bowl, having claimed the Rip Curl GromSearch International title in its waters in 2023. A solid start to her first CT campaign sees Brooks sitting as World No. 8, with Finals Day finishes in Abu Dhabi and Portugal already under her belt, added to her incredible first CT win as a wildcard in Fiji in 2024.

“I’m so excited to be competing at Bells for the first time in the CT and being here as a Rip Curl rider, it feels like home, and I’m just so excited to represent them out here, and hopefully we score some really good ways,” said Brooks. “I have so much support behind me being here, and I’m excited to walk down those stairs. You have Bells and Winki right next to each other, and you can surf both in just one day. I like Winki a little bit more. It’s more high performance, but Bells, you can just put it all out on the face, do those big real turns, and you definitely see a lot of spray from out the back, and I’m excited to be in a jersey here, and I’ve never really got that opportunity.”

Now in its sixth decade, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is not only a staple on the WSL schedule but also on the world-class calendar of sporting events held in the state of Victoria. Along with the Australian Open of Tennis, the Melbourne Grand Prix, and the AFL Grand Final, to name a few, the tradition of cheering on the best surfers on the planet from the Beach at Bells on Easter Weekend is an annual tradition for sports fans Australia-wide. 

“The Rip Curl Pro is one of the best events on the international surfing calendar, and we’re excited to showcase Victoria’s stunning Surf Coast to a global audience once again,” said Steve Dimopoulos, Victoria’s Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events. “This event draws thousands of visitors to the region each year, delivering a major boost to local businesses and cementing Victoria’s reputation as the home of world-class events. Whether it’s global stars or Victorian wildcards, this event continues to give the next generation of surfers the chance to shine on one of the most iconic waves in the world.”

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. 

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women’s Opening Round Matchups: 
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Nadia Erostarbe (ESP)
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA) vs. Ellie Harrison (AUS)
HEAT 3: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Carly Shanahan (AUS)
HEAT 4: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Bella Kenworthy (USA) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 5: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN) vs. Luana Silva (BRA)
HEAT 6: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS) vs. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Rio Waida (INA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. George Pittar (AUS) vs. Edgard Groggia (BRA)
HEAT 4: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Ian Gouveia (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Morgan Cibilic (AUS)
HEAT 6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) vs. Xavier Huxtable (AUS)
HEAT 7: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Marco Mignot (FRA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Connor O’Leary (JPN) vs. Deivid Silva (BRA)
HEAT 9: Miguel Pupo (BRA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
HEAT 10: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Joel Vaughan (AUS) vs. Alan Cleland (MEX)
HEAT 11: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Jackson Bunch (HAW)
HEAT 12: Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Liam O’Brien (AUS)

Watch LIVE
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy will hold a competition window from April 18 – 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.