THE Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach has seen another massive day of competition today (Sunday, April 9) with the completion of the men\u2019s and women\u2019s Elimination Rounds and all 16 heats of the men\u2019s Round of 32.<\/p>\n
The world\u2019s best battled wild conditions in the fourth stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2023 Championship Tour (CT), with Bells Beach offering up solid, wind-affected surf in the four-to-six foot range.<\/p>\n
It was an emotional day of competition, with Australian hero Owen Wright\u2019s last heat in a CT jersey, and event wildcard Xavier Huxtable (AUS) taking down compatriot and incumbent world number 1, Jack Robinson (AUS).<\/p>\n
In the biggest upset of the day, Torquay local Huxtable\u2019s local knowledge proved to be priceless as he found waves with opportunity in the difficult conditions.<\/p>\n
He earned a solid 7.00 with one explosive turn right under the lip on a large Bells wall and backed it up with a 6.43 to solidify the win over Robinson.<\/p>\n
The early-round loss is uncharted territory for Robinson, who has had an incredible run the first three events of the season.<\/p>\n
Today marks the first time Robinson hasn\u2019t made it out of the Round of 32 since Stop No. 3 of the 2022 CT in Portugal.<\/p>\n
Heat 3 of the Round of 32 was a bittersweet one for the Australian contingent as world title hopeful Ethan Ewing (AUS) overcame event wildcard Owen Wright (AUS) in what was his last appearance in a CT competition jersey.<\/p>\n
Wright ends his career as a four-time CT event winner, perennial world title threat, and the only surfer in history to score two perfect heats in one event.<\/p>\n
On his way to victory, Ewing looked to be in good form, posting an excellent 8.10 (out of a possible 10) to end the possibility of a fairytale finish for his compatriot.<\/p>\n
Despite the early exit, Wright was happy to end his career in front of a beach full of adoring fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a really special time out there,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like I had a great time in my heat, I got my two waves, and although I didn\u2019t take it out, I couldn\u2019t help but claim it when I finished; I was so happy. This place feels like home to me, and I had a lot of friends and family down here so I couldn\u2019t think of a better way to end this chapter. I\u2019ve had a wild career, which I\u2019m so grateful for. So many tough times and celebrations and the journey. To finish it all here, walking up these steps, hi-fiving all my buddies that I\u2019ve surfed with, and getting chaired up the beach by my two mates was super rad. I\u2019m just super grateful for this moment. I feel like I\u2019ve blinked, and it\u2019s over. It\u2019s been 12 years but this Tour is such a blur \u2013 I\u2019ve just loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ewing will now face three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) in Heat 2 of the Round of 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really special to share that heat with Owen Wright,\u201d Ewing said. \u201cHe\u2019s had a great career and we\u2019ve had quite a few heats together. In my first heat on the CT, he smashed me and we\u2019ve had a few more since then so it was really special to surf his last heat with him and I wish him a really good retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last heat of the day saw Griffin Colapinto (USA) put on an outstanding performance, setting the highest two-wave heat total of the event so far, an excellent 17.00 (out of a possible 20).<\/p>\n
Colapinto looks to be the man to beat as he found a flow with the Bells Bowl to dominate his matchup with Liam O\u2019Brien (AUS).<\/p>\n
Former event winner John John Florence (HAW) claimed the second-highest heat total of the day, a 15.83, in his Round of 32 matchup with tour veteran Kolohe Andino (USA).<\/p>\n
Florence looked composed and effortless in the unruly, open-ocean waves, laying down his signature power carves.<\/p>\n
He will now face Michael Rodrigues (BRA) in the Round of 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely super tricky out there and hard to know which ones are going to double up,\u201d Florence said. \u201cOnce you\u2019re out there, you can see them as these big walls of water, so I was just looking for them. The wind is going with the waves, so although it\u2019s strong onshore, there are clean faces. I hate coming up against Kolohe; we\u2019ve had so many heats against each other over the years, and he\u2019s become one of my best friends. I know he\u2019s in a hard spot right now, so it\u2019s a bummer. I had to try and block it out because I want to win, so it was hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connor O\u2019Leary (AUS) was also a standout performer on the second day of competition, posting a solid heat total of 15.73, which included an excellent 8.23 single-ride score (out of a possible 10).<\/p>\n
O\u2019Leary\u2019s vertical and aggressive backside attack was strong enough to take down Bells standout Nat Young (USA).<\/p>\n
The Round of 16 berth is an important one for O\u2019Leary, who is sitting just two spots above the Mid-season Cut line.<\/p>\n
Heat 2 of the women\u2019s Elimination Round was stacked with reigning Bells event winner and two-time World champion Tyler Wright (AUS), Final 5 competitors Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), and Johanne Defay (FRA).<\/p>\n
World No. 4 Wright emerged victorious after completing several critical maneuvers, with current No. 5 Weston-Webb advancing behind her.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for Defay, it was an early loss in her first event of the year since recovering from an injury.<\/p>\n
Another Final 5 competitor, Brisa Hennessy (CRC), faced a similar fate in Elimination Round 2, Heat 1.<\/p>\n
Hennessy came into the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach sitting eighth in the rankings, and in search of a result that would guarantee her safety heading into the Mid-season Cut.<\/p>\n
She came up against an in-form Kobie Enright (AUS), who earned a spot in the event by winning the Trials, and world No. 2 Caitlin Simmers (USA).<\/p>\n
Simmers looked in rhythm with the Bells Bowl, claiming a solid heat win, while Enright found some clean, open faces to progress in the second spot.<\/p>\n
Hennessy struggled to find a decent ride and will now shift her focus to the Western Australia Margaret River Pro in order to claim a spot in the back half of the season.<\/p>\n
Currently sitting below the Mid-season Cut line and tied for 24th, 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) were surfing to keep their spots on Tour as they went head-to-head in the Round of 32.<\/p>\n
They both opened with solid six-point rides, with Slater getting the better of Igarashi.<\/p>\n
But just after the halfway mark, Igarashi threw an electrifying turn to earn a 7.83 and turn the heat on “the GOAT” to take the crucial win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nerves were there, but everytime I surf against Kelly, I get nervous,\u201d Igarashi said. \u201cI feel like he had things going his way and that I was chasing him a bit. Eventually, I got that set that set up nicely and I think that\u2019s when things started going my way. There\u2019s not much I can do about the Cut and who is making heats, I can just focus on my heat with Kelly. I don\u2019t know how many more heats I\u2019ll get with him. I was definitely really nervous so I\u2019m glad I made it and I\u2019m glad I get to surf the Bowl more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Rodrigues (BRA) was another competitor with everything on the line, and caused a major upset in the Round of 32, taking down 2019 WSL World Champion and 2019 Bells winner Italo Ferreira (BRA).<\/p>\n
Rodrigues\u2019s sharp, frontside, rail game was the perfect match for the Bells Bowl.<\/p>\n
He now prepares for a head-to-head match with event standout Florence.<\/p>\n
Maxime Huscenot (FRA) found himself a spot in the Round of 16 for the first time in his rookie season, claiming an impressive win over Bells standout and world No. 4 Caio Ibelli (BRA).<\/p>\n
Huscenot still has a long way to go in order to move up the rankings and save his spot on Tour for 2023.<\/p>\n
He sits eight spots below the Cut line in 32nd place.<\/p>\n
The next call will be tomorrow (Monday, April 10) at 7.15am for a possible 7.35am start.<\/p>\n
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men\u2019s Round of 32 Results<\/strong> Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men\u2019s Elimination Round Results<\/strong>
\nHEAT 1: Joao Chianca (BRA) 13.94 DEF. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.76
\nHEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 11.77 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 11.60
\nHEAT 3: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Owen Wright (AUS) 11.66
\nHEAT 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.67 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 7.33
\nHEAT 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 9.27 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 8.43
\nHEAT 6: Jordy Smith (RSA) 9.33 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 8.50
\nHEAT 7: Yago Dora (BRA) 15.17 DEF. Dylan Moffat (AUS) 11.30
\nHEAT 8: Jackson Baker (AUS) 13.67 DEF. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 11.16
\nHEAT 9: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) 13.43 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 10.07
\nHEAT 10: Connor O’Leary (AUS) 15.73 DEF. Nat Young (USA) 11.76
\nHEAT 11: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 10.10 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 9.83
\nHEAT 12: John John Florence (HAW) 15.83 DEF. Kolohe Andino (USA) 9.50
\nHEAT 13: Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 13.50 DEF. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 7.44
\nHEAT 14: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 14.37 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 12.60
\nHEAT 15: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.93 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 10.43
\nHEAT 16: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 17.00 DEF. Liam O’Brien (AUS) 11.10<\/p>\n
\nHEAT 1: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 15.17 DEF. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 9.16, Callum Robson (AUS) 8.07
\nHEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.93 DEF. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 9.77, Rio Waida (INA) 8.94
\nHEAT 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 12.00 DEF. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 10.74, Carlos Munoz (CRC) 10.40
\nHEAT 4: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 13.33 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 13.24, Jake Marshall (USA) 9.97<\/p>\n