{"id":183642,"date":"2026-03-31T12:30:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T01:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=183642"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T01:38:25","slug":"your-guide-to-the-2026-rip-curl-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/your-guide-to-the-2026-rip-curl-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to the 2026 Rip Curl Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach returns in 2026 with added significance, marking the first stop on the World Surf League Championship Tour for the very first time and celebrating 50 years of professional surfing.<\/p>\n

Held in Torquay, the birthplace of Rip Curl, the event is the longest-running competition in the sport and a cornerstone of surfing culture. Past champions include icons such as Stephanie Gilmore and Mick Fanning, reinforcing its place at the heart of the sport.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what\u2019s on:<\/p>\n

Wednesday 1 April<\/strong><\/p>\n

The waiting period begins, with competition to begin as conditions allow.<\/p>\n

From 1\u20137 April, fans can catch live coverage on the jumbo screen at the Rip Curl Torquay store.<\/p>\n

At 5pm, Darren Handley hosts a DHD Board Night alongside special guests.<\/p>\n

At 6pm, Feast Studios hosts the Decal Exhibition, showcasing surf-inspired graphic art.<\/p>\n

Friday 3 April<\/strong><\/p>\n

The TRACKS Party takes over Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club from 7pm, headlined by Beddy Rays.<\/p>\n

Saturday 4 April<\/strong><\/p>\n

A major day for fan engagement across Torquay.<\/p>\n

At 4.30pm, Rip Curl Torquay hosts a team signing featuring surfers Molly Picklum, Stephanie Gilmore, Erin Brooks, Tya Zebrowski, Crosby Colapinto and Dane Henry.<\/p>\n

Strapper Surf at Surf City Plaza hosts 2025 world champion Yago Dora from 4pm to 5pm, alongside the Rusty Surf Team and a live heat press station.<\/p>\n

Boardriders Torquay also hosts signings with Quiksilver, Roxy, Volcom and RVCA athletes.<\/p>\n

Fans are encouraged to bring a wetsuit to recycle and skip queues at the Rip Curl store.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Yago Dora won the WSL world championship in 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sunday 5 April<\/strong><\/p>\n

The \u2018Sketchy\u2019 film premieres at 5pm at the Torquay Hotel.<\/p>\n

A Q&A with former world champion Tom Carroll takes place at 4 Pines Torquay.<\/p>\n

Saturday 11 April<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Swell Sessions wrap up the festival at 4pm at Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club, headlined by The Terrys.<\/p>\n

Surf fans will have multiple chances across the Easter long weekend to meet world champions and rising stars, offering rare access to some of the sport\u2019s biggest names.<\/p>\n

All appearances remain subject to change depending on competition conditions.
\nFor fans unable to make the trip, the entire event will stream live via t<\/a>he World Surf League website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach returns in 2026 with added significance, marking the first stop on the World Surf League Championship Tour for the very first time and celebrating 50 years of professional surfing. Held in Torquay, the birthplace of Rip Curl, the event is the longest-running competition in the sport and a […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":236,"featured_media":183646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-183642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nYour guide to the 2026 Rip Curl Pro - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your guide to the 2026 Bells Beach Pro, with event dates, surf action, fan events and live coverage across Torquay.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/your-guide-to-the-2026-rip-curl-pro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your guide to the 2026 Rip Curl Pro - 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