Opening round for Rip Curl Pro revealed

THE world’s best surfers are heading here ahead of Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, and the World Surf League (WSL) has revealed the lineup for the opening round.

Stop four on the 2024 WSL Championship Tour (CT) will be held in a competition window between Tuesday, March 26 and April 5.

Bells will be the first of two CT events in Australia, with competitors aiming for big results back-to-back ahead of the mid-season cut after Margaret River.

The 2024 CT season has seen an incredible start, with the first three events witnessing plenty of action across the board.

Events at Pipeline and Sunset Beach in Hawaii saw the bar raised to new heights on the women’s side, with a new generation emerging and proving what is possible in waves of consequence.

Stop three, the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, saw the return of familiar faces, with Griffin Colapinto and Johanne Defay claiming wins and their first major results of 2024 to rocket up the rankings.

Rip Curl team rider and former CT competitor Morgan Cibilic will replace Joao Chianca as the second-highest Challenger Series-ranked surfer in the Australia / Oceania region. The spot was originally offered to the top-ranked Challenger Series surfer Jackson Baker, who declined as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Sophie McCulloch, who qualified for the 2023 CT but wasn’t able to requalify, continues as the replacement surfer for Carissa Moore’s spot up until the Mid-season Cut and will compete at Bells again in 2024.

The final two spots will be awarded to the Rip Curl Victoria Trials’ winners on both the men’s and women’s sides. This will be a one-day event, which is set to be held at Bells Beach this Saturday, March 23.

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy Women’s Opening Round Matchups:

• HEAT 1: Johanne Defay (FRA), Luana Silva (BRA), Alyssa Spencer (USA)
• HEAT 2: Caroline Marks (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
• HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Trials Winner (TBC)
• HEAT 4: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
• HEAT 5: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Lakey Peterson (USA), India Robinson (AUS)
• HEAT 6: Tyler Wright (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy Men’s Opening Round Matchups:

• HEAT 1: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Kade Matson (USA)
• HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Deivid Silva (BRA)
• HEAT 3: John John Florence (HAW), Seth Moniz (HAW), Kelly Slater (USA)
• HEAT 4: Jack Robinson (AUS), Rio Waida (INA), Morgan Cibilic (AUS)
• HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Trials Winner (TBC)
• HEAT 6: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Jacob Willcox (AUS), Event Wildcard (TBC)
• HEAT 7: Jordy Smith (RSA), Ian Gentil (HAW), Caio Ibelli (BRA)
• HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Imaikalani Devault (HAW), Eli Hanneman (HAW)
• HEAT 9: Connor O’Leary (JPN), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA)
• HEAT 10: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Liam O’Brien (AUS), Cole Houshmand (USA)
• HEAT 11: Jake Marshall (USA), Crosby Colapinto (USA), Callum Robson (AUS)
• HEAT 12: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Yago Dora (BRA), Frederico Morais (POR)

This year marks the 61st time the world’s best surfers make the pilgrimage to Bells Beach, with the hope of scoring long-period, groomed walls and putting on a performance that will earn them the privilege of ringing the famous Bell Trophy by event’s end.

For more information, head to WorldSurfLeague.com