WSL Longboard Tour to Launch at Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic Tomorrow

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia (Wednesday, July 17, 2024) –  The Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic, the first stop on the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour (LT), will commence tomorrow at the iconic Bells Beach on Victoria’s picturesque Surf Coast. Fields of 24 women and 24 men will contest the opening event as they look to get their World Title campaigns off to the perfect start. The first call on competition will be at 7:45 a.m. AEST for a possible 8:05 a.m. start for the event, which holds a window from July 18 – 21.

Reigning World Champions Eye Back-to-Back Bells Wins in 2024 

Returning to Bells this season will be reigning World Longboard Champions Soleil Errico (USA) and Kai Sallas (HAW), who both won at this location in 2023. Sallas, a veteran of the sport, is starting the season as a World Champion for the first time, while Errico comes into 2024 off the back of her third World Title. 

“I thought it would feel like a normal start to the season, but now that I’m here, the nerves are kicking in,” said Sallas. “It’s great to come back to this spot, a place where I know I’ve had success before and start the season here in a place where I have some good memories. Bells is a lot like the North Shore in Hawaii; it carries a lot of juice in the waves, so I feel comfortable here, and it definitely suits my surfing. The best in the world are here, so you need to watch out for everyone.” 

“It’s so good to be back here at Bells Beach,” said Errico. “It’s such a beautiful place with fresh air and clean water not to mention so much history. It’s so good to have an event here. It’s a world-class wave and such an iconic spot, so It’s great to start the longboard season here. I have been working a bit on my mindset over the off-season and am excited to get this thing underway, it’s been so long since competing last October. It’s good to be back and see everyone, but I definitely feel like I’ve got a bit of a target on me.” 

Although Errico and Sallas will be competitors to watch, a number of other event winners and former World Champions in the field will be looking for their maiden wins at one of the most famous breaks in the surfing world, including the likes of Honolua Blomfield (HAW), Taylor Jensen (USA), Kaniela Stewart (HAW), Mason Schremmer (USA), Kelis Kaleopaa (HAW) and Ben Skinner (GBR) to name a few.  

One former World Champion who will be one to watch is Californian Rachael Tilly (USA). Having spent time studying and working in Australia, Tilly is all too aware of the significance of Bells Beach in the fabric of Australian surfing Culture. 

“I have so many memories from growing up watching the shortboard event here, so to now have the opportunity to compete at Bells Beach is like a dream come true,” Tilly said. “There is so much history here, and it is synonymous with so many big moments in our sport, so to add longboarding to these moments is really special. I’m excited for the start of the season, and obviously, the goal is to win another title, but it all starts with a good result here, so we will have to see.” 

Gavin Idone and Kaede Inoue Win Victoria Trials, Join Hometown Hopeful Ben Considine 

Today saw the completion of the Victorian Trials event that was held at Torquay Point in semi-clean two-foot waves. The event was taken out by Gavin Idone (USA) on the men’s side and Kaede Inoue (JPN) on the women’s. 

Idone will join local hopeful and event wildcard Ben Considine (AUS) in the main event as Considine looks to utilise his intimate knowledge of the waves at Bells to secure a career-best result when the competition gets underway. First, the Ocean Grove resident will have to get past Kaniela Stewart (HAW) and Martin Coret (FRA) in Heat 3 of the men’s Opening Round. 

“I’ve been training a lot here over the last few weeks, so I am feeling in a good rhythm, but it’s been great to see the world’s best come into town and how incredible they are out here over the last few days,” Considine said. “It’s been giving me a bit of extra push for sure, and with this quality of surfing, it will be a great event to watch. The forecast is looking really good for the weekend, so after a couple of smaller days, the event should finish in some great waves. There are so many faces to Bells, so it will give all the competitors the opportunity to display a bit of everything from traditional longboarding to speed and power.”  

The 2024 Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic is proudly sponsored by Bioglan, Visit Victoria, Bonsoy, GWM, and Surf Coast Shire.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. 

Watch LIVE: Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic The Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic is the first stop on the 2024 Longboard Tour. The competition window opens on Thursday, July 18, and closes on Sunday, July 21, 2024. Check out the full 2024 WSL Longboard Tour schedule. All competitions will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.

Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic Opening Men’s Round Matchups:  HEAT 1: Taylor Jensen (USA) vs. Chase Lieder (USA) vs. Max Weston (AUS) HEAT 2: Ben Skinner (GBR) vs. Michael Van Hohenstein (HAW) vs. Clinton Guest (AUS) HEAT 3: Kaniela Stewart (HAW) vs. Martin Coret (FRA) vs. Ben Considine (AUS) HEAT 4: Kai Sallas (HAW) vs. Kai Hamase (JPN) Gavin Idone (USA) HEAT 5: Tony Silvagni (USA) vs. Kevin Skvarna (USA) vs. Ignacio Pignataro (URY) HEAT 6: Declan Wyton (AUS) vs. Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) vs. António Dantas (POR) HEAT 7: Edouard Delpero (FRA) vs. John Michael Van Hohenstein (HAW) vs. Alexandre Escobar (BRA) HEAT 8: Rogelio Jr Esquievel (PHL) vs. Taka Inoue (JPN) vs. Sam Christianson (RSA) Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic Opening Women’s Round Matchups:  HEAT 1: Honolua Blomfield (HAW) vs. Keani Canullo (HAW) vs. Beatrice Conroy (AUS) HEAT 2: Sophia Culhane (HAW) vs. Kirra Molnar (AUS) vs. Kaede Inoue (JPN) HEAT 3: Kelis Kaleopaa (HAW) vs. Sive Jarrard (ASM) vs. Sakura Inoue (JPN) HEAT 4: Soleil Errico (USA) vs. Chloe Coleman (USA) vs. Molly Powell (AUS) HEAT 5: Mason Schremmer (USA) vs. Maria Fernanda Reyes (PER) vs. Roisin Carolan (AUS) HEAT 6: Alice Lemoigne (FRA) vs. Natsumi Taoka (JPN) vs. Natalia Wunderlich (HAW) HEAT 7: Rachael Tilly (USA) vs. Tully White (AUS) vs. Emma Perrier (AUS) HEAT 8: Zoe Grospiron (FRA) vs. Avalon Gall (USA) vs. Emily Currie (GBR)