Quarterfinal fields set at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

THE third day of competition at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy witnessed a move to Winkipop again with the world’s best enjoying clean waves in the two-to-four-foot range today (Saturday, March 30).

Easter weekend crowds were treated to a massive day of heats with the completion of the men’s Round of 32 and Round of 16 on the fourth stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT).

Cole Houshmand (USA) has guaranteed his best result at the elite level, booking himself a spot in the Quarterfinals.

Houshmand built momentum through the day, taking a last-minute victory over three-time WSL World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Round of 16, then a commanding victory over Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) in the Round of 16.

Houshamand earned an excellent 8.67 for a series of critical backhand re-entries and will need to keep that sort of form when he takes on reigning event winner Ethan Ewing (AUS) in the Quarterfinals.

“Doing well at Bells has always been a goal of mine,” Houshmand said.

“It’s an iconic event with so much history and a wave that I think suits my surfing, so I’m stoked to be here on Finals Day. I really need a big result as well, so I’m hoping to make a few more heats.

“For me, that heat [against Medina] was more of a dream than winning a comp. There were literally interviews of me when I was like 10 or 11 talking about how Gabby is my favorite surfer, so to have a heat with someone like that at the highest level is a dream for me, and to come out on top is another check on the box.”

On his way to the Round of 16, Barron Mamayia (HAW) ended the run of the 11-time WSL World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) in what is likely to be his last competitive appearance at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, 32 years after his first.

Slater looked in good touch on the 30th anniversary of his first Bells win, but it was Mamiya who was able to find the best wave of the match-up, leaving Slater to be eliminated and shift his focus to the Western Australia Margaret River Pro.

“This is likely my last Bells. If I don’t win at Margaret’s, this will be my last one,” Slater said.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it and have fun. Coming down to Bells is always magical. I’ve been coming for a number of decades. It was my first event as a full-time competitor on the world Tour. Some of the most memorable ones were when I rang the Bell. To have a Bell at your house is an honor, and I was fortunate enough to win four.

“I did want to do well in this event. I’m trying to enjoy these events, enjoy the people, the friendships, and the memories.

“Reading all the names that have won here, a lot of them being my heroes, all the greats in surfing have won this event. I’ll enjoy Margarets for what it is, and I’m not gonna try to push it too much.

“I’m super appreciative of this life I’ve had. This whole career has been really fun. We’ll see, though. I’ll pitch out for a couple of wildcards.”

Mamiya’s run at Bells soon came to a close in the Round of 16, ended by an in-form Jake Marshall (USA), who is through to the Quarterfinals.

Cole Houshamand’s fellow San Clemente local and 2024 CT Rookie, Kade Matson (USA), has also earned his best result on the CT, booking a spot in the Quarterfinals.

Taking down former Bells winner and two-time World Champion John John Florence (HAW) in the Round of 32, Matson found good flow at Winkipop, only surfing two waves to bank his winning total.

Florence was unable to back up a solid opening score and will leave Bells with an equal 17th place finish, ahead of his pet event, the Western Australia Margaret River Pro.

Matson then went on to overcome Yago Dora (BRA) in the Round of 16 with an impressive performance on the long walls of Winkipop.

It was a brother-versus-brother matchup in Heat 5 of the Round of 16, which saw Griffin Colapinto (USA) come out ahead of his little brother Crosby Colapinto (USA).

Both brothers are fresh off solid showings in Portugal, with Griffin taking the win and Crosby an equal third-place finish, as they each hoped for more fireworks in their first ever-matchup at the elite level.

As the tide went high at Winkipop, the waves slowed down, and it became a battle of the best wave, with Griffin’s experience shining through as he posted the highest single score of the matchup for a radical fins-free lay-back snap.

“I think Crosby wanted to beat me more than I wanted to beat him,” Griffin said.

“It’s pretty rad that our parents were able to be here for it; this is the first contest that they’ve come to together, so it’s rad that Crosby and I ended up matching up.

“It’s unfortunate the waves went slow, but it was fun; the family name doubled down on that one.”

“I’d say we wanted to beat each other evenly; when we got that paddle battle going, I was like ‘Okay it’s on, screw this guy,’” Crosby said.

“I hope we can get some more heats together because that one kinda left a weird taste in my mouth, but hopefully we can get one in some good waves, and that will be more fun.”

Crosby’s equal 9th place finish at Bells is enough to see him make the cut in his Rookie season.

It was a massive day for the group of young Southern Californian surfers, seeing Griffin Colapinto (USA), Cole Houshmand (USA), Jake Marshall (USA), and Kade Matson (USA) put on solid performances to move through to the Quarterfinals.

With Matson and Houshmand hovering around the Mid-season Cut line, a Quarterfinal appearance will be vital for their rankings heading into the Margaret River Pro.

For Marshall, his Quarterfinal result at Bells confirms he has made the Cut and secures his place for the second half of the season.

The Mid-season Cut implications continued in the last heat of the day as Rio Waida (IND) will also move through to the Quarterfinals, getting the win ahead of Caio Ibelli (BRA). Today was Ibelli’s best result of the year, but he will need another solid result in Margaret River to make the Cut and stay on Tour.

When competition resumes, the opening matchup of the Quarterfinals will see former CT competitor and injury replacement Morgan Cibilic (AUS) do battle with good friend Matthew McGillivray (RSA), with both surfers taking solid wins in their Round of 16 matchups today.

Men’s Round of 32 Results: