Surfing begins at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

The opening day of competition has been called on at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, the fifth stop on the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT).

The event started at 7:30a.m today (Friday, April 18) with the women’s opening round and will be followed by the men’s opening round and women’s elimination round.

The event is being held at Bells Beach in clean two-to-four-foot waves with 30-minute heats.

The women started this morning with Heat 1 featuring Gabriela Bryan, Brisa Hennessy, and injury replacement Nadia Erostarbe.

Bryan comes in with momentum after her breakthrough win at the Surf City El Salvador Pro and will look to keep it rolling on another right-hand point break.

Hennessy, sitting at World No. 12, enters a critical heat as she fights to move above the Mid-season Cut line, while Erostarbe steps in as an injury replacement aiming to make the most of her opportunity at one of the tour’s most iconic stops.

Heat 3 will see World No. 1 and defending Bells Beach winner Caity Simmers take on Lakey Peterson and local Trials winner Carly Shanahan (AUS).

Simmers returns to Bells in top form as she looks to defend her title and extend her lead atop the rankings.

She will face tough competition in Peterson, who considers Bells a second home and brings years of experience at the venue, and Shanahan, the local trials winner whose familiarity with the break could give her an edge in her CT debut.

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).