• Strong Onshore Winds Force Day Off at Bells Beach
• Promising Forecast For Reminder of Event Window …April 18, through April 28.
• Next Call: Thursday, April 23, at 7:15 AM for a Possible 7:35 AM Start (20 hours ahead…1135am Wednesday for Hawaii)

“The wind is howling onshore today, making conditions really tough, so we’re calling off the event for the day,” said WSL Deputy Commissioner, Renato Hickel. “We are seeing the winds become light and offshore from tomorrow, and the remainder of the window is looking promising, so we are hopeful to get competition back underway tomorrow and string a few days together coming into the weekend. The next few days look like being the best of the window.”

Current World No. 1 Italo Ferreira (BRA) looks to be continuing his strong form here at Bells and will need to bring his best to overcome local standout and Victoria Trials winner Xavier Huxtable (AUS) in Heat 9 of the Round of 32.

Good friends Isabella Nichols (AUS) and Erin Brooks (CAN) will match up in Heat 6 of the women’s Round of 16 when competition resumes for the first time since they contested a Challenger Series Final at North Narrabeen last year.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Men’s Opening Round Wraps In Challenging Conditions at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy

Alan Cleland Jr. and Italo Ferreira Lead Men’s Opening Round

Event Hopefuls Bounce Back in Elimination Round

Mixed Results For Event Wildcards on Second Day of Competition

Ramzi Boukhiam Suffers Knee Injury and Withdraws From Event

Fresh off his equal-best career result at the CT level, Alan Cleland Jr. (MEX) has put on a solid opening-round performance to book a spot in the Round of 32. Cleland came up against 2022 Bells winner and two-time World Champion Filipe Toledo (AUS), as well as CT Rookie Joel Vaughan (AUS), and made his intentions clear from the start, posting a 7.00 point ride on his first wave. He then backed it up with an excellent 8.17 with three super committed, critical turns, leaving him to end the heat with a 15.00 point two-wave total (out of a possible 20), the second-highest of the men’s Opening Round.

“Surfing against Joel [Vaughan], he’s one of my best friends, and then surfing against [Filipe] Toledo, he’s one of the best in the world, so I was super excited to get in the water,” Cleland said. “We’ve been waiting a couple of days, and the waves have been small. Luckily enough, the swell picked up, and it’s a bit windy, but the waves are super fun, and I’m just stoked to get a couple out there. I love this place, hanging out with all the locals. I went to a footy game last night. It’s just been rad. I’m stoked to be here and stoked to get some waves. I’m grateful for every opportunity. I’m grateful to wake up every morning and go surf. It’s such a good sport, and I’m just happy to do what I do. You just can’t ask for more when there are waves.”

2018 Bells winner and current World No. 1 Italo Ferreira (AUS) came out firing in Heat 6 of the men’s Opening Round, delivering both the highest single-wave score and heat total of the day. Looking in top form, Ferreira attacked one of the bigger sets with power and precision, earning a 7.17 before locking in an impressive 8.15 to secure his win. Local wildcard Xavier Huxtable (AUS)  also progressed to the Round of 32 with a solid performance. Ferreira’s backhand looked ominous as he blasted massive turns on solid sections, remaining fans of his capabilities in the bigger sets.

“That was a great heat, I tried to find the good walls,” Ferreira said. “I know there are a lot of opportunities there, but it’s kind of hard to find the best ones. I was lucky that I had a good opportunity in the beginning to score 7 points, and then after that, 8 points on the other one. It’s always fun competing at Bells, I always feel excited to find a good wall and go hard, and I’m stoked.”

At the end of Heat 6, an exchange between Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) and Xavier Huxtable (AUS) saw the pair waiting on the shoreline to hear scores and see who would be sent to the Elimination Round. As Boukhiam waited in shallow water on the rock shelf, his leg slipped into a hole, and a wave pushed him forward, causing an injury to his knee that required him to be carried off the beach by an ATV. After the initial assessment,  Boukhiam withdrew from the event as he would be unable to surf his Elimination Round heat. He went to the hospital for further scans and assessment, and WSL will have an update on his condition soon.

Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) bounced back from a disappointing Opening Round heat with an emphatic performance in the Elimination Round at Bells to overcome Olympians Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) and Vahine Fierro (FRA). Sakura Johnson looked right at home in the Bells Bowl, carving and punching her way to an 11.84 two-wave total to progress with Erostrabe, while Fierro was eliminated in equal 17th place.

“It’s always frustrating to end up in the Elimination Round,” Sakura Johnson said. “But, I think I needed that, I think I needed another shot out here at Bells just to get on top of a few things. It’s always interesting coming up against rookies because you don’t really know what to expect at a new location, so I’m happy to have performed and find a bit of a rhythm out here. I know it’s a wave I could do well at.”

In the last two years, Matthew McGillivray (RSA) has finished in fifth and third place here at Bells, and given his runner-up finish at El Salvador just a week ago, it was a shock to see him in the Elimination Round today. The South African got his 2025 Bells campaign back on track in Heat 1 of the Elimination Round, posting a 14.57 two-wave total to claim an impressive win over Jackson Bunch (HAW) and Edgard Groggia (BRA). McGillivray’s fins-free explosive approach made for one of the most exciting performances of the day. McGillivray will take on Griffin Colapinto (USA) in the Round of 32 when the competition resumes.

“The Elimination Round is pretty stressful,” McGillivray said. “I didn’t get a good start in my Opening Round Heat, which just threw me off and had me waiting a lot of minutes. Coming into that heat, I really wanted to get a good start and a quick one. I seem to get good momentum when I get a couple of waves early, and there were plenty of waves in the heat, so we all had a lot of opportunity, which was good. It will be fun to match up with Griffin again. He’s such a gnarly competitor and someone that inspires me and pushes me, so it will be great to come up against him.”

Marco Mignot (FRA) and Seth Moniz (HAW) were able to sneak through their elimination round heat to defeat Deivid Silva (BRA), who was eliminated in equal 33rd place. It was one of the tightest heats, with less than 1.50 points separating all three surfers.

The last heat of the day saw Brazilian trio João Chianca (BRA), Alejo Muniz (BRA), and Ian Gouveia (BRA) fight for a spot in the Round of 32. Muniz looked to find a groove at Bells to take the win while Chianca progressed in second place, leaving Gouveia to be eliminated and now shift his focus to the Gold Coast.

With today’s results, Caity Simmers (USA) and Barron Mamiya (HAW) have each secured their spot on the CT beyond the Mid-season Cut as they progress into the Round of 16 and Round of 32, respectively.

Mixed Results For Event Wildcards on Second Day of Competition  

Rip Curl Trials Winner Morgan Cibilic (AUS) showed some of the form that saw him finish No. 5 in the world back in 2021 as he posted a two-wave total of 14.06 to overcome Bells standout Ethan Ewing (AUS). Cibilic’s speed and finesse on the rail were on point and saw him book a spot in the Round of 32 along with Ewing, while their opponent, Seth Moniz (HAW), contested the Elimination Round and was able to progress into the Round of 32.

“It’s always good to come back down to Bells, it’s so nice down here, I love it,” Cibilic said. “I know we haven’t had amazing waves yet, but it looks like it’s going to get fun throughout the contest, so I’m stoked just to be here. Pushing yourself here [at Bells] with the world’s best, there’s nothing better than that to get you ready for the year ahead. Hopefully, I can go deep in this event and set myself up for a good year this year.”

Victorian Trials Winners Xavier Huxtable (AUS) and Carly Shanahan (AUS) had mixed results for the local crowd. Huxtable progressed into the Round of 32, while Shanahan was defeated by Olympic Gold Medalist and 2023 World Champion Caroline Marks (USA), and World Junior Champion Luana Silva (BRA), who was in searing form in the Elimination Round.

For highlights from today’s competition at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Watch LIVE
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy will hold a competition window through April 28, 2025. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, and the free WSL App. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.