Upsets Aplenty on Day 3 of Competition at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy 

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Thursday, April 24, 2025) – The field has been narrowed at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 5 of the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), after a massive day of competition saw the completion of the women’s Round of 16 and the first eight heats of the men’s Round of 32. With clean, three-to-four-foot waves on offer, competition moved to the back-up site of Winkipop, which allowed competition to run through both the low and the high tides as the storylines began to stack up with some major upsets going down from the first heat of the day.

Gabriela Bryan Claims Yellow Jersey For First Time in Career

After the elimination of World No. 1 Caity Simmers (USA) earlier in the day, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) needed to overcome Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) in Heat 5 to claim the top spot on the rankings and the Yellow Jersey for the first time in her career. Erostarbe got busy early, but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum of Bryan, who posted a 15.00 point two-wave total (out of a possible 20), the highest of the entire round. Bryan’s surfing looks to be the perfect match for the waves here at Bells, and she will now take on Isabella Nichols (AUS) in the Quarterfinals, a rematch of the Final in El Salvador less than two weeks ago. 

“That feels amazing to hear,” Bryan said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting that coming into this interview, but the fact that it’s my first time in this position means I will always remember this moment. I think one of the biggest goals I had this year was to just keep improving and to never stop. In the offseason, I really wanted to focus on myself and my power surfing. Women’s surfing is progressing a lot, and it keeps me so motivated to keep improving. Isabella Nichols knows Bells really well, so I’m excited to come up against her in the Quarterfinals. I can’t wait to be wearing the Yellow jersey.”

Picklum and Simmers Eliminated in Round of 16 

The opening heat of the day witnessed a massive upset as event hopeful and current World No. 3 Molly Picklum (AUS) went down to Luana Silva (AUS), who was in need of a Quarterfinal spot here at Bells Beach. Picklum seemed to be in control of the heat but after falling on a set wave late in the matchup, Silva pounced and made it count, jamming three massive vertical snaps to post a 7.33 (out of a possible 10) and claim the heat win with a 13.66 heat total. 

“Molly [Picklum] got off to such a good start,” Silva said. “I gave her that set wave at the start, which was a mistake for sure. I just never gave up and just kept going and believing in myself. I said to myself, ‘If you can open up like you know you can, you can get it done,’ and I’m glad I never gave up. Winkipop and Bells are really different waves, but they both allow you to commit to big combos. The waves are pumping today, so I’m stoked.” 

Just a couple of heats later, current World No. 1 and reigning Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Caity Simmers (USA) was unable to overcome CT veteran and two-time Bells winner (2011, 2012) Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), who showed her wealth of experience to clinch a much-needed heat win. Fitzgibbons built through the heat, posting a higher score on each set wave she took off on, whilst Simmers seemed to struggle to find a rhythm. After falling back to the Challenger Series the last two years, today’s Quarterfinal progression marks the best result for Fitzgibbons at the CT level in a year and will go a long way to helping her retain her spot at the elite level in 2025. 

“I feel like I played the long game,” Fitzgibbons said. “There’s been a lot that’s gone against me in the last couple of years, so I feel like it was nice to feel like a few things went my way in that heat. Coming up against the next gen is so exciting, and I definitely had a few sleepless nights waiting to see how this heat would go down. I think as you get more experience, it’s all about learning from owning your decisions and keeping that deep-seated belief. I will do anything and everything to get one of those spots after the cut. Coming up against Caity [Simmers] is cool because I want to be up against the best, so I loved that energy and that challenge.”

Men’s Top Seeds Set The Standard at Winkipop 

2023 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner Ethan Ewing (AUS) took on fellow Australian Ryan Callinan (AUS) in the first heat of the men’s Round of 32. Ewing came flying out of the gates, posting an 8.83 on his opening ride for three huge, committed rail turns, then backed it up for a two-wave total of 15.00. Callinan fought back but came unstuck on a few big maneuvers, which left him unable to take the lead, leaving him to look towards the Gold Coast, where he will need a massive result to get his season back on track. 

“I surfed against Ryan [Callinan] in the Final here at Winkipop when I won, so I had a bit of a flashback to that for sure,” Ewing said. “We’ve had a lot of heats together, so it was good to have another one. He’s been surfing so well, so I wish him all the best for the next few events. When I saw that first wave coming, I knew it was going to be a good one, and I’m just stoked I was able to execute on it. I’m having a good time down here at Bells, so I hope to just keep it going.” 

Another former Bells winner, Jordy Smith (RSA) (2017), booked his spot in the Round of 16, taking down Imaikalani deVault (HAW) in the Round of 16. Smith is fresh off a win in El Salvador last week and is hoping to continue one of his strongest starts to the year in over five seasons. If Smith is to go all the way to the Final, he will surpass 70 heats surfed at this location. 

“That’s a lot, it’s like 30 hours of surfing,” Smith said. “I hope I get to 70 heats by the end of the week. Imaikalani [deVault] is a great surfer and has all the tricks in the bag. I couldn’t tell what he did at the end of his wave, so we were chatting about what his air was like, and then I knew what I had to go for if a set came. It’s looking like there is some more swell and consistency coming, which is what we’re all hoping for. I’ve been around this thing for a while now, so I know what to expect, and I just need to go surf and have fun.” 

Smith will take on Aussie Rookie Joel Vaughan (AUS), who beat Crosby Colapinto (USA) in Heat 6 of the Round of 32. Vaughan was trailing for most of the heat until he threw a massive no-grab air-reverse to post a 7.83 and take the lead. Colapinto will be battling to make the Mid-season Cut when the CT heads to the Gold Coast next week. 

Olympic Silver Medalist Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) and Liam O’Brien (AUS) surfed in one of the most exciting heats of the day, with the lead going back and forth throughout the matchup. O’Brien took an early lead with two decent scores early, whilst Igarashi struggled to find a score of significance. With only minutes left, Igarashi found back-to-back sets and got to work with his trademark surgical-like technique, posting an excellent 16.10 two-wave total on his last two waves to take the lead and the win. 

Igarashi will come up against Seth Moniz (HAW), who looked in good form as he posted a 15.70 two-wave total to beat Miguel Pupo (BRA).

Cibilic Flies Flag For Wildcards on Day 3 of Competition 

Former CT surfer and Rip Curl Trials winner Morgan Cibilic (AUS) caused another massive upset on Day 3 of competition, taking down the reigning Bells winner Cole Houshmand (USA) in Heat 7 of the Round of 32. Cibilic surfed with authority in the cupped out, down the line walls of Winkipop as he progresses into the Round of 16 and hopes to build confidence ahead of his 2025 Challenger Series Campaign. 

“This feels amazing,” Cibilic said. “It looks really pretty out there, but it’s actually really tricky. I feel like I surfed a really smart heat and am feeling really good at the moment, so I hope I can get on a roll through this event. I’ve spent a lot of time down here and feel at home, and the waves suit me. So I’m stoked to keep on going.”  

The last heat of the day saw 2025 Rookie Alan Cleland Jr. (MEX) continue his great run at Bells but fall just short to Leonardo Fiorvanti (ITA) in a super exciting matchup that went right down to the wire. The pair went back and forth, but in the end it was the speed and precision from Fioravanti that got the nod from the judges. 

It was a tough day of competition for some of the event rookies and wildcards, with the likes of Marco Mignot (FRA), Bella Kenworthy (USA) and Erin Brooks (CAN) all being eliminated as well as event wildcard and local hopeful Ellie Harrison (AUS).

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 Women’s Round of 16 Results: 
HEAT 1: Luana Silva (BRA) 13.66 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 12.64
HEAT 2: Lakey Peterson (USA) 13.33 DEF. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 9.67
HEAT 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 12.73 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 10.10
HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 9.77 DEF. Bella Kenworthy (USA) 9.33
HEAT 5: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 15.00 DEF. Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) 10.03
HEAT 6: Isabella Nichols (AUS) 13.67 DEF. Erin Brooks (CAN) 10.03
HEAT 7: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 11.17 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 9.47
HEAT 8: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.27 DEF. Ellie Harrison (AUS) 6.13

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)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round of 32 Results [Heats 1 – 8]: 
HEAT 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.00 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.80
HEAT 2: Connor O’Leary (JPN) 13.43 DEF. Marco Mignot (FRA) 12.33
HEAT 3: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 16.10 DEF. Liam O’Brien (AUS) 14.33
HEAT 4: Seth Moniz (HAW) 15.70 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.50
HEAT 5: Jordy Smith (RSA) 13.93 DEF. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 12.17
HEAT 6: Joel Vaughan (AUS) 11.97 DEF. Crosby Colapinto (USA) 11.50
HEAT 7: Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 12.17 DEF. Cole Houshmand (USA) 8.17
HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 14.70 DEF. Alan Cleland (MEX) 14.10

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Round of 32 Remaining Matchups [Heats 9 – 16]: 
HEAT 9: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Xavier Huxtable (AUS)
HEAT 10: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Griffin Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 11: Rio Waida (INA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 12: Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW)
HEAT 13: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
HEAT 14: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
HEAT 15: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. George Pittar (AUS)
HEAT 16: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Jackson Bunch (HAW)

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.