EVENT GUIDE
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BELL Spruiking about this thing for as long as I have, there are literally hundreds of stories about the Rip Curl Pro I could write… But hopefully this very short brew of words will be enough to give you a better understanding of why the Rip Curl Pro is one of surfing’s holiest-of-holy prizes and also one of the world’s great celebrations of fun (I say that because it’s primarily a surfing contest, and as any serious surfer knows, there is simply nothing more fun on this planet than riding waves!). Anyway, to start with, expect a great show! Expect a few hours, a day, a week or whatever of great memories! In general sporting terms alone, it’s a rare chance to see a 40-year-old bloke by the name of Kelly Slater, who’s rightfully been described as one of the world’s all-time great athletes. Plus Kelly is competing against the most exciting crop of rivals in years, including three teenagers – Gabriel Medina, John John Florence and Kolohe Andino - who have got the entire surfing world buzzing. Among the women, there is an equally exciting young group and the quite bizarre situation where 24-year-old Steph Gilmore is now considered a veteran! So, if just a few of the potential uncertainties happen to poke up their heads – as they so uncannily have at so many of these gatherings – expect to experience things amazing, amusing, exciting, exhausting, fun, freezing, possibly frightening, wet and dry, hot and cold, and all sorts of other things in between... It Is Surfing, So Please, Expect The Unexpected! Straight up, it’s a significant gamble how it’s really all going to play out! And if you’ve been before, you know “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”. Ideally, it’ll kick-off at Bells on Tuesday, April 3rd,
rolling magically through the rest of the holiday week with women’s finals Easter Sunday, men’s finals Easter Monday. So dependent on weather as it is, historically-speaking the Rip Curl Pro has been blessed, cursed and this, that and the other - often within hours on any day! This is partly why the “event window” has stretched out to 12 days. But the overarching reason for a “waiting period” is to give the surfers the best available surf to strut their considerable talents! With so much time at Bells, another of the awesome things about Easter is the two grommet competitions running alongside the main events – the Rip Curl International GromSearch Finals and the Play It Safe By The Water Victorian Junior Challenge. Plenty of former competitors from these have grown up and made the Pros. And again, expect to be dazzled by what the kids can do on and above the waves. Step Back In Time For A Moment... When Rip Curl founder Doug “Claw” Warbrick first said to business partner Brian “Sing Ding” Singer that they should put up some money to turn the 12th annual Bells Rally among Australia’s best surfers into this country’s first professional surfing competition, Brian’s response was: “Are you friggin’ mad?” Sponsoring a pro surfing contest in 1973 was a much braver idea than it sounds today! Mainstream Australian society at the time (ie. jealous non-surfers) largely wrote off surfing as an activity done by “dole-bludging, pot-smoking hippy types”. On top of that, Rip Curl was a small business with about
HELP KEEP BELLS BEAUTIFUL Looking after the Bells Beach Surfing Reserve and the environment is a major priority of the Rip Curl Pro. Measures undertaken at and around the event include: • Providing a variety of bins across the site, with the aim of recycling as much waste as possible, via the state government’s Waste Wise program (since 2007). • Buying carbon credits to offset all the comp site’s energy needs and the travel to and from the event of all pro competitors and officials via tree planting managed by Federal Governmentaccredited provider CO2 Australia for the past four years. • Donating general public event admission proceeds to a Surf Coast Shire-managed fund for projects approved by the local community to enhance and protect the reserve. Last year the fund delivered $50,000.
You can help these efforts in a couple of simple ways: • Please stay on fenced walkways at all times within the area around Bells and Winkipop, or any other locations the event may move to. Please don’t climb over any fences or bunting to get a better view! Besides the fact the clifftops around Bells and Winki are highly unstable and dangerous, the fences and bunting are also in place to protect highly delicate vegetation. • Please use the variety of recycling bins provided to get rid of any rubbish like food wrappers and bottles. If you can’t find a bin, please just take it home. We aim to leave only footprints wherever the Rip Curl Pro is run and hope you’ll join us in doing that.
by Gary “Choco” Dunne*
20 employees at the time, seriously struggling to stay afloat. Take note, the cost of a new surfboard and the average weekly wage in Australia in ‘73 were both around $100... Obviously, Sing Ding eventually agreed that sponsoring the first pro surfing contest in Australia was a good way of promoting their fledgling company; they somehow came up with $2,500 cash as prizemoney and Claw’s mad idea became a reality.
Now, I’m a bit of a sport stats freak… (Yeah, I’ve heard the old cliche that “there are three types of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics”...) But there is no denying at least one statistical truth derived from the names on the perpetual Bell trophy. In a direct comparison with surfing’s list of world champions, many of the greatest names repeatedly appear on both. That reeks of Bells being, “very tough to win”!
Important? The Rip Curl Pro is the only contest that has helped decide every one of the 36 annual men’s world titles since the first world pro tour season back in 1976. And it has done the same for 30 of the 34 women’s pro world titles awarded since 1977. No other comp comes close to that record!
So to me, all those elements - plus that it’s cradled in a worldrenowned area of natural beauty - stand out to help make the Rip Curl Pro truly great. But it’s really the people who come each year, and the history they become a part of (or make) that really make each Easter at Bells so fun.
In a broader sense too, it is the event’s seemingly ever-growing appeal in drawing surf enthusiasts and other visitors, with their associated spending, which has been independently studied and shown to leave millions of dollars in the region each year. A perhaps higher recognition of that importance exists in the Victorian State Government’s direct financial support of the Rip Curl Pro each year, which began back in the mid-1990s. The Multi-Headed-Beast-Of-A-Thing Is Half A Century Old! And showing all signs of gobbling up another 50! 50 is a substantial number, especially in surfing, but also a solid knock for a “life so far” for lots of things. Just think about it...
Finally, an esteemed pair will ring the Bell to celebrate that it’s all over for another year. All the visitors will leave and the locals will go back to non-Easter life. So now, I can hear you asking, “Who’s going to win this year?” Buggered if I know! If watching hundreds of surf contests has shown anything, it’s that I’m lousy at picking the winners. The only certainty about 2012 is that whoever wins is following in the footsteps of greatness!
* Gary Dunne was just a kid when he first heard ‘Bells Beach’ and ‘Easter’ spoken about together sometime back in the 1960s... Fast-forward 40-odd years: newspaper journo turned Tracks editor, “Choco” has just finished working for Rip Curl after 17 years mostly as Team & Media Manager. In the thick of the Rip Curl Pro for 21 of the past 22 Easters, this is his unique inside perspective on the event and some of what to expect in 2012.
INSIDER TIPS Tip 1: Be around the main event site at Bells at dawn each morning and hang around late each day. If there is any surf, the dawn patrol and late sessions are a chance to catch more of the world’s best in action. Tip 2: You’ll be surprised how easy it is to take home a personalised souvenir from one of the world’s best surfers. Maybe it’s the fresh Antarctic air and this country’s renowned small-town friendliness, but it really is one of the special features of Easter at Bells that the elite competitors make themselves more accessible to the general public than in many other places around the world, and are happy to be photographed or sign an autograph.
Tip 3: Really want to get a photo with a pro surfer or an autograph? Please remember to avoid approaching pro surfers immediately before heats. Think “caged wild animals just before feeding time”! Tip 4: On any given day, any/all of the following are better than a 50/50 chance: – Temperature change of more than 15 degrees Celsius. – Wind ranging from zero to gale-force. – Cloud cover ranging from none to heavy and back to none multiple times, with rain, naturally. – Tidal movement to potentially reduce available bum space on the sand at times to a very narrow strip, with many hundreds if not thousands of people crazily dancing in the shorebreak, trying to stay dry while still watching the action in the water!
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” Bells with all the cars and whistles.
Ford. Presenting partner of the Rip Curl Pro.
ford.com.au All-New Ranger 4x4 XLT Double Cab Pick-up 3.2L Diesel shown.
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There’s something special about the Rip Curl Pro - it’s a combination of things - not only the prestige but also that beautiful natural amphitheatre of Bells, the support of the crowd and just the energy that goes into staging such an event. -- Layne Beachley
PREMIER’S
WELCOME
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The term “You have got to win it to ring it” is taken literally in the Rip Curl office, where it’s a sackable offence to ring the coveted trophy if you haven’t won the event.
Welcome to Torquay for the 2012 Rip Curl Pro, a feature event of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour. In the 50 years since it began in 1962, the Rip Curl Pro has grown to become an integral part of Australia’s culture. It is also the world’s longest running and most highly regarded professional surfing contest. The Victorian Coalition Government is a proud supporter of this event, which compliments our state’s renowned major events calendar. From April 3rd to 14th 2012, surfing enthusiasts can see 54 of the world’s best surfers competing to ring the prized Bell trophy. Among these will be the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Champions, Joel Parkinson and
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Sally Fitzgibbons, and international stars Kelly Slater, Adriano De Souza and Jordy Smith. The 2012 event also gives spectators the chance to see some of the world’s up-and-coming junior surfers competing in the Rip Curl International GromSearch Finals and the Play It Safe by the Water Victorian a Challenge. A range of on-shore and off-shore beach activities will be on offer, including autograph signings and surf lessons, giving spectators an opportunity to participate in some of the action. With an expected global television audience of more than 200 million viewers and an innovative webcast to over a million eager fans, the Rip Curl Pro is a great opportunity to showcase our Surf Coast and regional Victoria to the world.
THURSDAY
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Go mountain bike riding through the forest 15
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Discover the secrets of
the Otway Harvest Trail
the Rip Curl Pro
FEEL THE
3
WINTER
one out at Bells
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TED BAILLIEU MLA Premier of Victoria
FRIDAY
Be the first
Savour the flavours of cool climate wines
I encourage our international and interstate guests to make the most of their time in Victoria. This region has much to offer, including its many wineries, restaurants, galleries and nature-based tourist attractions. Come and join in the carnival atmosphere of the 2012 Rip Curl Pro and experience some of the best that Victoria and Australia’s surfing culture has to offer.
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STOKE The Great Ocean Road delivers exceptional experiences all year round.
Come back in winter, when the surf is at its most challenging and the crowds have gone home. Begin each day on a wave, browse the boutique shops and immerse yourself in the local surf culture with a visit to Surf World Museum in Torquay. Dine at one of the many cafés and restaurants or go foraging along the Otway Harvest Trail, where the food is grown and the wine is produced. Cruise along the Great Ocean Road, rated one of the world’s must do driving experiences, stopping off at the charming coastal villages.
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Discover surf history
at Surf World Museum
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For more information & offers www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
“ 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962
Imagine you’re a kid and your whole life you hear about the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, how it’s one of the hardest contests in the world to win. And you do it! – Richie Collins
MEN
Who will ring the bell? JOEL PARKINSON (3) KELLY SLATER (4)** JOEL PARKINSON (2) KELLY SLATER (3)** TAJ BURROW KELLY SLATER (2)** TRENT MUNRO JOEL PARKINSON ANDY IRONS (2)** ANDY IRONS** MICK FANNING SUNNY GARCIA (3)** SHANE DORIAN MARK OCCHILUPO MATT HOY SUNNY GARCIA (2) SUNNY GARCIA KELLY SLATER** DAMIEN HARDMAN (2) RICHIE COLLINS BARTON LYNCH TOM CURREN (2)** MARTIN POTTER** DAMIEN HARDMAN NICK WOOD TOM CARROLL TOM CURREN** CHEYNE HORAN JOE ENGEL MARK RICHARDS (4)** SIMON ANDERSON (2) MARK RICHARDS (3)** MARK RICHARDS (2)** MARK RICHARDS SIMON ANDERSON JEFF HAKMAN MICHAEL PETERSON (3) MICHAEL PETERSON (2) MICHAEL PETERSON TERRY FITZGERALD PAUL NEILSEN NAT YOUNG 3 TED SPENCER 2 TED SPENCER NAT YOUNG 2 NAT YOUNG ROB CONNEELEY MICK DOOLEY DOUG ANDREW GLYNN RITCHIE
From Aust/Qld USA/Flo Aust/Qld USA/Flo Aust/WA USA/Flo Aust/NSW Aust/Qld USA/Haw USA/Haw Aust/NSW USA/Haw USA/Haw Aust/Qld Aust/NSW USA/Haw USA/Haw USA/Flo Aust/NSW USA/Cal Aust/NSW USA/Cal UK Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW USA/Cal Aust/NSW Aust/Qld Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW USA/Haw Aust/Qld Aust/Qld Aust/Qld Aust/NSW Aust/Qld Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW Aust/NSW
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Total prizemoney for the 2012 Rip Curl Pro is US$535,000 – a long way from the $2,500 in 1973...
WOMEN
FORMER BELLS
Age* 30 38 28 36 28 34 26 23 24 23 19 30 26 31 26 26 25 22 27 23 27 25 23 22 16 24 20 23 22 25 26 23 22 21 22 27 22 21 20 22 19 22 20 19 19 18 18 22 19 17
Stance N N N N N N N N N N N N N G N N N N G N G N N G N G N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
CHAMPIONS 2007
Taj Burrow
2006
KELLY SLATER
2011
2000
SUNNY GARCIA
2005
Sofia Mulanovich
2012
Who will ring the bell? From
2011
SALLY FITZGIBBONS
Aust/NSW
Age* Stance 20 N
2010
STEPH GILMORE (3)**
Aust/NSW
22
N
2009
SILVANA LIMA
Brazil
24
N
2008
STEPH GILMORE (2)**
Aust/NSW
20
N
2007
STEPH GILMORE
Aust/NSW
19
N
2005
SOFIA MULANOVICH
Peru
24
N
2001
NERIDAH FALCONER
Aust/NSW
30
G
2000
MEGAN ABUBO
USA/Haw
22
N
1999
LAYNE BEACHLEY (3)** Aust/NSW
26
N
1998
LAYNE BEACHLEY (2)** Aust/NSW
25
N
1997
LISA ANDERSEN (4)**
USA/Flo
28
N
1996
PAULINE MENCZER (3)
Aust/NSW
25
N
1995
LISA ANDERSEN (3)
USA/Flo
26
N
1994
LAYNE BEACHLEY
Aust/NSW
21
N
1993
PAULINE MENCZER (2)** Aust/NSW
22
N
1992
LISA ANDERSEN (2)
USA/Flo
23
N
1991
PAULINE MENCZER
Aust/NSW
20
N
1990
LISA ANDERSEN
USA/Flo
21
N
1989
WENDY BOTHA**
Aust/NSW
23
N
1988
KIM MEARIG 2
USA/Flo
25
N
1987
JODIE COOPER
Aust/WA
22
N
1986
FREIDA ZAMBA (2)**
USA/Flo
20
G
1985
FREIDA ZAMBA**
USA/Flo
19
G
1984
KIM MEARIG
USA/Cal
25
N
1983
HELEN LAMBERT
Aust/Qld
23
G
1982
DEBBIE BEACHAM**
USA/Cal
28
N
1981
LINDA DAVOLI
USA/NewJ
21
N
1980
MARGO OBERG (3)**
USA/Haw
26
N
1979
LYNNE BOYER**
USA/Haw
23
N
1978
MARGO OBERG (2)
USA/Haw
24
N
1976
MARGO OBERG**
USA/Haw
23
N
1975
GAIL COUPER (10)
Aust/Vic
25
N
1974
GAIL COUPER (9)
Aust/Vic
24
N
1973
GAIL COUPER (8)
Aust/Vic
23
N
1972
GAIL COUPER (7)
Aust/Vic
22
N
1971
GAIL COUPER (6)
Aust/Vic
21
N
1970
GAIL COUPER (5)
Aust/Vic
20
N
1969
VIV CAMPBELL
Aust/NSW
22
N
1968
GAIL COUPER (4)
Aust/Vic
18
N
1967
GAIL COUPER (3)
Aust/Vic
17
N
1966
GAIL COUPER (2)
Aust/Vic
16
N
1964
GAIL COUPER
Aust/Vic
15
N
* = Age of champion at that year’s event ** = Also World Champion same year N = Natural foot stance (left foot forward) G = Goofy foot stance (right foot forward) Sally Fitzgibbons & Joel Parkinson
RESPECT. TO ANYONE WHO HAS SPENT TIME IN A BARREL.
JIM BEAM. THE SPIRIT OF SURFING. PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE RIP CURL PRO.
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The Bell is literally like having a World Title trophy. – Kelly Slater
FREE SHUTTLE BUS TO BELLS
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Australian Mark Richards, along with Americans Kelly Slater and Lisa Andersen, equally hold the record for the most Rip Curl Pro victories with four each.
A free shuttle will run from Torquay and Jan Juc to Bells Beach (and back) the entire Easter Long Weekend. Enjoy yourself - don’t drink and drive!
Rip Curl Store Surfcoast Hwy
Growlers Esplanade, Torquay
BELLS BEST MOMENTS
Narrowing down the list of historic Bells moments is not easy. For five decades, the longest-running professional surfing event has hosted countless era-defining rounds, heats and waves.
1973
MICHAEL PETERSON
SIMON ANDERSON
Michael Peterson was always a standout surfer in Australia, but the points-for-manoeuvres system accentuated his domination. Others paid heed to the moves that delivered the highest scores, but Michael studied the points table like a kid swatting for an exam, and had his own summary on the dashboard of his car. In one rare interview with Tracks, he summed up his strategy by saying he did everything as fast and radical as he could: “I just didn’t stop moving. I even zigged and zagged between my zigs and zags.” — Michael Gordon
1981
At dawn AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” was already blaring in the Bells carpark. Looming behind each ominous chime was a pulse of raw, 15-foot Southern Ocean swell detonating over the Bowl. If there was ever a day to be confident in your equipment, that was it. But 26-year-old Simon Anderson had no plans of playing things safe. Under the gaze of thousands of awestruck spectators, the quiet assassin from Sydney paddled his peculiar 3-finned surfboard out into the bombing conditions and put on a clinic, effectively signalling a close to the MR twin-fin era, and ushering in the game-changing age of the thruster. — Andrew Lewis
1982
MARK RICHARDS
Since 1978, the Rip Curl Pro had been the MR Show, save for only one blemish: Simon Anderson’s groundbreaking run in ’81 the year before. But there was no way the fierce 25-year-old Richards would let his twin-fin legacy go so quietly. In the final against Tom Carroll — who had since become the poster boy of Anderson’s thruster design – MR proved the twin could still win. He rung his fourth Bell and re-wrote the Rip Curl Pro history books yet again. — Andrew Lewis
1987
NICK WOOD
Young Novocastrian Nick Wood did the impossible in 1987. At just 16, Nick, then referred to the world over as Nicky, defeated a legendary field of stalwarts to claim the most prized possession in surfing and shock the surfing world. The youngster had been touted as the “next big thing” since he was 11 and his talents were on display for all to see that Easter. His timeless performance was capped off by a giant lip-line-coping-ride, on a crunching 4ft shore break that he rode for a mile. It will be near impossible to ever outdo Nick’s win at just 16 years of age. -— Tracks
Torquay Hotel Bell St, Torquay
Bird Rock Cafe Stuart Ave, Jan Juc
Bells Beach Event Location
1998
For Mark Occhilupo no amount of time or new talent could deter him from making good on his return to pro surfing 12 years after his last trip to the winner’s podium. Perhaps it was his past Bells memories that lit the fire - his semi-final clash with Tom Curren is deemed not only the best heat ever at Bells, but one of the best in pro surfing history. Or maybe it was that first wrenching bottom turn in the Bowl that reminded him of his special relationship with Victoria. Whatever it was, he didn’t stop until he was ringing that Bell. The day was April 14th, 1998 — the day Occy came back — Andrew Lewis
MARK OCCHILUPO
2001
Bells has a way of foreshadowing the future. Look at the list of past winners and you’ll notice not one name that didn’t go on to be a driving force in his or her generation. So when 19-year-old wildcard Mick Fanning slipped into the final rounds of the 2001 Rip Curl Pro, the pundits began preparing their Slater comparisons. Not to disappoint, White Lightning disposed of veteran Danny Wills in the final and alongside a 22-year-old Andy Irons (who finished equal 3rd that year promised a new era of domination post-Slater. — Andrew Lewis MICK FANNING
2008
Kelly Slater matched MR’s four Bells victories in 2010, but his most extraordinary win came in 2008 when Bede Durbidge had him on the ropes in the Bowl. With Bede in control and with priority, Kelly paddled to Rincon where waves hadn’t been breaking and stunned the crowd with a huge punt, securing victory with less than four minutes remaining. Although Bede thought the master was “tripping” when he made the move, he learnt a valuable lesson. Two years later, Kelly honoured local indigenous people, the Wathaurong, by giving them his fourth bell. — Michael Gordon KELLY SLATER
2008
Layne Beachley had three Bells and seven world titles to her credit when she confronted Stephanie Gilmore in the semi-finals in 2008. Layne had been the standout surfer of the contest and had priority when one of the better waves came through. When Layne passed on the wave, Steph pounced and got the score. That wave gave her the confidence to win back-to-back Bells and set up her second World Title. “Once I got past Layne, I just felt I couldn’t be beaten,” said Steph. Two years later, a 22-year-old SG won her third Bell. — Michael Gordon
STEPHANIE GILMORE
OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE Take home your own commemorative piece of history with some official Rip Curl Pro merchandise! Check out the Rip Curl Shop onsite at Bells, our retail store in Torquay’s Surf City Plaza or shop online at ripcurl.com.au
“ ” BELLS EVENT SITE MAP “It hasn’t sunk in yet… but I guess it’ll sink in tonight after I sink a few.” – Matt Hoy
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Despite having three Rip Curl Pro titles to his name, Sunny Garcia has not won a final at Bells Beach. In 1995 he won at Johanna, in 1996 at Winkipop, and in 2000 at Gibsons Steps, in the Cape Otway National Park.
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Bells is an A+ high performance right-hand reef break that breaks over two unique reef sections - ‘Rincon’ and ‘The Bowl’. The ideal swell direction is W-SW, and if the wind behaves it will blow NW all Easter.
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WINKIPOP The attractive girl-next-door is a long right-hand reef break, that hits two distinct sections - ‘Uppers’ (the top section of the break) and ‘Lowers’. Winkipop wants a straight swell and NW offshore winds.
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THE BUTTON The infamous Button is a marker for surfers paddling around to Winkipop and a spot where you don’t want to get caught on a big swell day.
THE BOWL The Bowl feeds on big Southern Ocean swells and will hold waves up to the 15ft range in the middle of the beach. Long drawn-out carves and steep turns are the way to tame the Bowl’s powerful walls.
D EA AN R IA W A ED VIE M R TE IN
RINCON The point section under the famous orange cliffs is called Rincon and this is the first part of a Bells wave to break. Rincon breaks close in when it’s small and will be the spot to watch when the surf is in the 2-to-4ft range.
GR PU AN BLI DS C TA ND
PUBLIC ACCESS
CENTRESIDE Centreside is a quick-breaking right hander that fires across shallow rock just south of Bells’ main breaks. It’s not always consistent, but definitely worth the wait when it’s on and will always have an emptier lineup than Rincon and The Bowl.
SOUTHSIDE The most southern break in the Bells Surfing Reserve is aptly named Southside, which is a quality left that breaks over a shallow weedy rock ledge. Lefts are hard to find on the Surf Coast, so goofy-footers take note!
Surf World Museum Bells Gold Exhibition Surf World Museum has marked a significant surfing milestone with the Bells Gold Exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bells Easter Classic/Rip Curl Pro. The exhibition features treasured and iconic surfing memorabilia and images from the rich and eventful history of the world’s longest-running surfing contest. It’s a must-do as part of your 2012 Rip Curl Pro visit. The exhibition closes in May 2012 – so don’t miss it. Surf World Museum is open 9am – 5pm, 7 days per week.
Pro Spots Need a break? Visit a Pro Spot venue offering special deals for Pro Surfers and event goers - the best spot to grab a bite to eat or drink and possibly spot a Pro!
Or Download The “Torquay App”
For information on Surf World and the exhibition call 5261 4606, visit surfworld.com.au or connect with us on Facebook.
Need More Information? Ask a local at the Surf Coast Visitor Information Centre! For further information on travelling to Torquay, the Great Ocean Road and making the most of your time during the Rip Curl Pro, contact the Torquay Visitor Information Centre.
Rip Curl Pro Live Sites Can’t get to Bells to watch the Pro? Surf Coast Shire has joined with local businesses in Torquay to provide live sites where you can enjoy the action and some of the best local hospitality available.
Open 9am-5pm, 7 days per week, our friendly volunteers and staff are happy to assist with any enquiries. Surf City Plaza, Beach Road, Torquay.
THE OFFICIAL WATERCRAFT OF THE
Make the most of your stay, head to: visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
For daily news and giveaways pick up a copy of the:
THE NUMBER ONE BRAND IN WATERCRAFT
“
My God, I’m freaking out… This is a dream come true! – Andy Irons
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Californian Taylor Knox is the oldest male competitor in the 2012 Rip Curl Pro, at 40 years and 10 months*, while Brazilian Jacqueline Silva, at 32 years 8 months*, is the oldest female competitor. (* Ages on April 3rd, 2012.)
MENS
SURFER PROFILES
Adriano de Souza
1. Kelly Slater
2. Joel Parkinson
3. Taj Burrow
DOB February 11, 1972
DOB April 10, 1981
DOB June 2, 1978
LIVES Cocoa Beach, Florida
LIVES Coolangatta, Qld
LIVES Yallingup, WA
Height 5’9” (175 cm)
Height 6’0” (183 cm)
Height 5’9” (175 cm)
Weight 160 pounds (73 kg)
Weight 185 pounds (84 kg)
Weight 159 pounds (72 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 1st in 2010, 2008, 2006, 1994
BELLS BEST 1st in 2011, 2009, 2004
BELLS BEST 1st in 2007
4. Gabriel Medina
5. Owen Wright
6. Adriano De Souza
DOB December 22, 1993
DOB January 16, 1990
DOB February 13, 1987
LIVES Maresias, Brazil
LIVES Lennox Head, NSW
LIVES Florianopolis, Brazil
Height 5’11” (180 cm)
Height 5’10” (174 cm)
Height 5’6” (167 cm)
Weight 150 pounds (68 kg)
Weight 172 pounds (78 kg)
Weight 137 pounds (65 kg)
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 17th in 2009 (as wildcard)
BELLS BEST 5th in 2011
BELLS BEST 3rd in 2011
7. Julian Wilson
8. Jordy Smith
9. Alejo Muniz
DOB November 8, 1988
DOB February 11, 1988
DOB February 22, 1990
LIVES Coolum Beach, Qld
LIVES Durban, South Africa
LIVES Santa Catarina, Brazil
Height 6’0” (183 cm)
Height 6’2” (188 cm)
Height 5’8” (173 cm)
Weight 175 pounds (78 kg)
Weight 190 pounds (86 kg)
Weight 154 pounds (70 kg)
Stance Natural
STANCE Natural
Stance Natural
Bells Best 25th in 2011
BELLS BEST 3rd in 2011 & 2009
Bells Best 13th in 2011
10. Michel Bourez
11. Josh Kerr
12. Damien Hobgood
DOB December 30, 1985
DOB March 29, 1984
DOB July 6, 1979
LIVES Toahutu, Tahiti
LIVES Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
LIVES Satellite Beach, Florida, USA
Height 5’9” (176 cm)
Height 5’8” (173cm)
Height 5’10” (178 cm)
Weight 168 pounds (76 kg)
Weight 154 pounds (70 kg)
Weight 155 pounds (70 kg)
STANCE Natural
Stance Natural
STANCE Goofy
BELLS BEST 9th in 2011 & 2010
Bells Best 13th in 2011; 33rd in 2007, 2009
BELLS BEST 5th in 2005
13. John John Florence
14. Mick Fanning
15. Jeremy Flores
DOB November 18th, 1992
DOB June 13, 1981
DOB April 27, 1988
LIVES Pipeline, HAWAII
LIVES Tweed Heads, NSW
LIVES Capbreton, France
Height 6’0” (183 cm)
Height 5’10” (177cm)
Height 5’8” (174 cm)
Weight 168 pounds (76 kg)
Weight 161 pounds (73 kg)
Weight 150 pounds (68 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST Rookie
BELLS BEST 1st in 2001
BELLS BEST 9th in 2008
ASP WORLD TITLES 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010
ASP WORLD TITLES 2007 & 2009
16. Heitor Alves
17. Miguel Pupo
DOB April 3, 1982
DOB November 19, 1991
LIVES Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
LIVES Camburi, Brazil
Height 5’6” (167cm)
Height 5’9” (176 cm)
Weight 146 pounds (66 kg)
Weight 150 pounds (67 kg)
Stance Goofy
STANCE Goofy
Bells Best 33rd in 2008
BELLS BEST Rookie
18. Adrian Buchan
19. Kieren Perrow
20. Bede Durbidge
DOB September 21, 1982
DOB January 1, 1977
DOB February 23, 1983
LIVES Avoca Beach, NSW
LIVES Byron Bay, NSW
LIVES Brisbane, Qld
Height 5’8” (173cm)
Height 5’9” (177 cm)
Height 6’1” (180 cm)
Weight 170 pounds (75 kg)
Weight 150 pounds (68 kg)
Weight 178 pounds (82 kg)
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 9th in 2010
Bells Best 5th in 2009, 2003 & 2002
BELLS BEST 2nd in 2008
Join the #ripcurlpro conversation on Twitter with @ripcurlpro and the rest of the crew...
“
It’s a world record for me. I’ve never made a speech only having had six beers before! – Simon Anderson
”
Among the men, the Rip Curl Pro champion has gone on to become world champion the same year 12 times since the inception of the world tour in 1976 – a record unmatched by any other WCT event.
22. Brett Simpson
23. Adam Melling
DOB May 7, 1982
DOB January 5, 1985
DOB March 29, 1985
LIVES Saquarema, Brazil
LIVES Huntington Beach, California, USA
LIVES Lennox Head, NSW
Height 5’10” (171 cm)
Height 6’0” (183 cm)
Height 6’0” (185 cm)
Weight 168 pounds (76 kg)
Weight 160 pounds (73 kg)
Weight 165 pounds (75 kg)
Stance Natural
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
Bells Best 17th in 2007
BELLS BEST 17th in 2010
BELLS BEST 13th in 2011
24. Kolohe Andino
25. CJ Hobgood
26. Tiago Pires
DOB March 22, 1994
DOB July 6, 1979
DOB March 13, 1980
LIVES San Clemente, California
LIVES Melbourne, Florida
LIVES Ericeira, Portugal
Height 5’11” (180 cm)
Height 5’8” (173 cm)
Height 5’6” (170 cm)
Weight 163 pounds (74 kg)
Weight 150 pounds (68 kg)
Weight 154 pounds (70 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST Rookie
BELLS BEST 3rd in 2003
BELLS BEST 9th in 2011
21. Raoni Monteiro
ASP WORLD TITLES 2001
27. Jadson Andre
28. Matt Wilkinson
29. Pat Gudauskas
30. Dusty Payne
DOB March 13, 1990
DOB September 29, 1988
DOB November 20, 1985
DOB December 27, 1988
LIVES Natal City, Brazil
LIVES Copacabana, NSW
LIVES San Clemente, California
LIVES Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
Height5’7” (170 cm)
Height 5’11” (180 cm)
Height 6’0” (183 cm)
Height 5’10” (178 cm)
Weight 145 pounds (66 kg)
Weight 165 pounds (75 kg)
Weight 160 pounds (73 kg)
Weight 165 pounds (75 kg)
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 5th in 2011
BELLS BEST 17th in 2010
BELLS BEST 13th in 2011
BELLS BEST 17th in 2010
31. Travis Logie
32. Taylor Knox
33. Kai Otton
34. Yadin Nicol
DOB May 11, 1979
DOB May 15, 1971
DOB December 16, 1979
DOB November 16, 1985
LIVES Durban South Africa
LIVES Carlsbad, California
LIVES Queenscliff, Australia
LIVES Santa Barbara, California
Height 5’6” (171 cm)
Height 5’10” (178 cm)
Height 5’11” (180 cm)
Height 5’9” (175 cm)
Weight 146 pounds (66 kg)
Weight 178 pounds (77 kg)
Weight 169 pounds (77 kg)
Weight 155 pounds (70 kg)
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
STANCE Goofy
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 33rd in 2011
BELLS BEST 3rd in 1997
BELLS BEST 9th in 2008 & 2009
BELLS BEST Rookie
• The top 34 may be subject to change by the event starting date.
Ozmosis Team Rider ‘Skeeta’ Derham
“
To get that Bell, to hold it and to ring it, and to bring it home and put it on your mantelpiece, I think to this day, it’s the only trophy that matters in pro surfing. The rest of the trophies are totally f@#*ed in comparison. – Mark Richards
”
Among the women, the Rip Curl Pro champion has gone on to be world champion the same year 14 times since their first world tour in 1977 – yet another record unmatched by any other WT event.
2012 ASP WORLD TOUR FORMAT HOW THE RIP CURL PRO FITS INTO THE ASP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR
The Association of Surfing Professionals runs three tiers (or levels) of competition for men and two tiers for women. The tiers run to a calendar year schedule. The top tier for both is the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), which determines the annual world champion. Second tier for men is the Prime Series events. Events at this level, like the Margaret River Masters in Western Australia, help determine which surfers qualify for the WCT in the following year. Third tier for the men is the Star Series, which helps aspiring male pros build up enough ratings points to qualify for Prime Series and WCT events. For the women, the second level of pro competitions is also called the Star Series. Now back to Bells, where the Rip Curl Pro is the second of 10 WCT events scheduled for men in 2012 and the second of seven WCT events set to be run for the women this year. Simply, each WCT event is like a Formula One Grand Prix, in that each competitor’s final placing in each WCT contest earns them points that ultimately determines the annual World Champion and the year’s final world rankings.
JUDGING & SCORING In WCT events like the Rip Curl Pro, there is one International Head Judge and a panel of seven other judges (six international and one local). During any heat, five judges are rostered on to score. After each ride, the judges enter scores out of 10 points into a scorepad, which then automatically drops the high and low score and gives the wave an average out of 10 from the three remaining scores. Importantly, the judges have access to video replays of each ride and are not under any formal time limit within which they must enter their score for a particular ride. From the 2012 ASP Rule Book, on judging and scoring: Surfers must perform to the ASP Judging Key Elements to maximize their scoring potential. Judges analyze the following Key Elements when scoring waves: • Commitment & degree of difficulty • Innovative & progressive manoeuvres • Combination of major manoeuvres • Variety of manoeuvres • Speed, power and flow It’s important to note that the emphasis of certain elements is contingent on the location and conditions on any day, as well as changes of conditions during the day.
GABRIEL MEDINA
ASP MEN’S WCT 36-SURFER FORMAT: Made up of world’s top 34 + 2 wildcards
ASP WOMEN’S WCT 18-SURFER FORMAT: Made up of world’s top 17 + 1 wildcard
Round 1: 12 three-man heats, world ranking seeded. Winners to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd go to Round 2. NO surfers are eliminated.
Round 1: 6 three-woman heats, world ranking seeded. Winners to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd go to Round 2. NO surfers are eliminated.
Round 2: 12 man-on-man heats. Winners to Round 3, 2nd bows out with an Equal 25th place.
Round 2: 6 woman-on-woman heats. Winners to Round 3, 2nd bows out with an Equal 13th place.
Round 3: 12 man-on-man heats. Winners to Round 4, 2nd bows out with an Equal 13th place.
Telstra Power Round 3: 4 three-woman heats. Winners to Quarterfinals, 2nd and 3rd go to Round 4. NO surfers are eliminated.
The following scale may be used to describe a scored ride:
0–1.9 2.0–3.9 4.0–5.9 6.0–7.9
= = = =
8.0–10.0 =
Poor Fair Average Good Excellent
In any WCT heat, each surfer is able to catch a maximum of 15 waves. Each heat result is determined by the total of each surfer’s two highest scoring rides. This means a maximum score per heat per surfer of 20 points. At Bells you can see two types of surfing being executed, due mainly to the fact that there are two totally different waves at the one venue – “Rincon” and “The Bowl” [see Mobile Locations for more details…]. When the surf is around one metre (3-4ft), Rincon is where the action is. It allows surfers to perform more of the innovative and progressive manoeuvres like tail slides and aerials. If the surf is two metres or bigger (6ft plus), the action moves further from shore to “The Bowl”, where the surfers get the opportunity to perform more traditional style carving manoeuvres on big open faces. TYLER WRIGHT
Telstra Power Round 4: 4 three-man heats. Winners to Quarterfinals, 2nd and 3rd go to Round 5. NO surfers are eliminated.
Round 4: 4 woman-on-woman heats. Winners to Quarterfinals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 9th.
Round 5: 4 man-on-man heats. Winners to Quarterfinals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 9th.
Quarter Finals: 4 woman-on-woman heats. Winners to Semifinals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 5th place.
Quarter Finals: 4 man-on-man heats. Winners to Semifinals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 5th place.
Semi-Finals: 2 woman-on-woman heats. Winners to Finals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 3rd place.
Semi-Finals: 2 man-on-man heats. Winners to Finals, 2nd bows out with an Equal 3rd place.
Final: 1 woman-on-woman heat. 1st and 2nd place.
Final: 1 man-on-man heat. 1st and 2nd place.
Immediately after Trials completion, Round 1 draws will be available online via live.ripcurl.com, aspworldtour.com, the mobile evnet app and on the Bells Scoreboard (see event site map)
Event Wildcards THE Two wildcard surfers are added to the men’s main event and one wildcard place is added to the women’s draw. Rip Curl Men’s Wildcard North Narrabeen’s Davey Cathels received the first wildcard into the men’s main event. The 20-year-old natural-footer is coming off a serious ankle injury that sidelined him in early January, so he’s raring to put it to the test against the best surfers in the world.
JOEL PARKINSON
PRIZE MONEY & ASP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
POINTS
2011 TRIALS CHAMP ADAM ROBERTSON
Wingman Trials Men’s Wildcard The Wingman Trials decides the second wildcard place into the men’s event. 20 elite Victorian surfers are aiming for this prestigious spot, including Surf Coast residents Nic Muscroft, Jack Perry and Harry Mann, as well as Steve Noble (Cape Paterson), Caiden Fowler (Mornington Peninsula), and Phillip Island’s Mitch Baker.
MENS WILDCARD DAVEY CATHELS
Victorian Women’s Trials The Victorian Trials is a 4-woman ‘superheat’ with the winner claiming the single available wildcard into the main event. Former Trials winner Nikki Van Dijk (Phillip Island) comes up against Kelly Laity (Sandy Point) and local Surf Coasters Amy Stewart and Zoe Clarke.
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Play it Safe by the Water Junior Challenge www.watersafety.vic.gov.au This specialty event highlights the Victorian Government’s water safety initiative “Play it Safe by the Water”, with 16 groms selected by the Surfing Victoria Talent Identification Program to compete for state bragging rights. Some of this year’s competitors include last year’s winner Harry Mann, 2011 Victorian Junior Champ Gus Harfield, 2012 Junior Champ Tristan Forras and current Victorian Cadet Champion Cody Robinson.
Men Placing
Prizemoney
Points
1st
$75,000
10,000
2nd
$30,000
8,000
3rd (x 2)
$17,500
6,500
5th (x 4)
$13,750
5,200
9th (x 4)
$11,000
4,000
13th (x 12)
$8,500
1,750
25th (x 12)
$7,000
500
Women Placing
Prizemoney
Points
1st
$15,000
10,000
2nd
$9,000
8,000
3rd (x 2)
$7,500
6,500
5th (x 4)
$6,000
5,200
9th (x 4)
$5,000
4,000
13th (x 6)
$4,500
1,750
NB. Prizemoney amounts in US dollars.
).
“
Bells is so removed from the big cities, it’s really peaceful. I got into that a lot. For whatever reason I was in sync with that wave. – Lisa Andersen
WOMENS
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Victorian Gail Couper owns the most Bells titles, with 10 victories – seven in the Bells Easter Rally years, and three in a row in the early years of the Pro era. TYLER WRIGHT
SURFER PROFILES 1. Carissa Moore
2. Sally Fitzgibbons
3. Stephanie Gilmore
DOB August 27, 1992
DOB December 19, 1990
LIVES Honolulu, Hawaii
LIVES Gerroa, NSW
HEIGHT 5’7” (170 cm)
HEIGHT 5’7” (173 cm)
WEIGHT 140 pounds (63 kg)
WEIGHT 137 pounds (62 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE BELLS BEST Natural
BELLS BEST 9th in 2010
BELLS BEST 1st in 2011
DOB January 29, 1988 LIVES Tweed Heads, NSW HEIGHT 5’10” (178 cm) WEIGHT 147 pounds (67 kg) STANCE Natural BELLS BEST 1st in 2010, 2008 & 2007 ASP WORLD TITLES 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010
4. Tyler Wright DOB March 31, 1994 LIVES Lennox Head, NSW HEIGHT 5’7” (170 cm) WEIGHT 137 pounds (62 kg) STANCE Natural BELLS BEST 9th in 2009 (as wildcard)
5. Silvana Lima
6. Coco Ho
7. Sofia Mulanovich
DOB October 29, 1984
DOB April, 28, 1991
LIVES Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
LIVES Sunset Beach, Hawaii
HEIGHT 4’9” (154 cm)
HEIGHT 5’3” (177 cm)
WEIGHT 108 pounds (49 kg)
WEIGHT 122 pounds (56 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 1st in 2009
BELLS BEST 5th in 2010
DOB June 24, 1983 LIVES Lima, Peru HEIGHT 5’4” (165 cm) WEIGHT 119 pounds (54 kg) STANCE Natural BELLS BEST 1st in 2005 ASP WORLD TITLES 2004
8. Courtney Conlogue DOB August 25, 1992 LIVES Santa Ana, California HEIGHT 5’8” (173 cm) WEIGHT 135 pounds (61 kg) STANCE Regular BELLS BEST Rookie
9. Pauline Ado
10. Laura Enever
11. Paige Hareb
DOB February 14, 1991
DOB November 14, 1991
DOB June 6, 1990
LIVES Anglet, France
LIVES North Narrabeen, NSW
LIVES Oakura, Taranaki, New Zealand
HEIGHT 5’5” (166 cm)
HEIGHT 5’6” (168 cm)
HEIGHT 5’6” (165 cm)
WEIGHT 130 pounds (59 kg)
WEIGHT 112 pounds (51 kg)
WEIGHT 121 pounds (58 kg)
Stance Natural
STANCE Natural
STANCE Goofy
Bells Best 9th in 2011
BELLS BEST 13th in 2011
BELLS BEST 5th in 2009
12. Rebecca Woods
13. Jacqueline Silva
14. Malia Manuel
DOB September 14, 1984
DOB July 17, 1979
DOB August 9, 1993
LIVES Copacabana, New South Wales, Australia
LIVES Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
LIVES Kauai, Hawaii
STANCE Natural
HEIGHT 5’4” (164 cm)
HEIGHT 5’4” (162 cm)
HEIGHT 5’5” (165 cm)
WEIGHT 123 pounds (56 kg)
WEIGHT 115 pounds (52 kg)
WEIGHT 120 pounds (55 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
BELLS BEST 5th in 2010
BELLS BEST 5th in 1999, 2007, 2009
BELLS BEST Rookie
15. Lakey Peterson
16. Sage Erickson
17. Justine Dupont
DOB September 30, 1994
DOB December 28, 1990
DOB August 27, 1991
LIVES Santa Barbara, California
LIVES Ventura, California
LIVES Lacanau, France
HEIGHT 5’7” (170 cm)
HEIGHT 5’6” (175 cm)
HEIGHT 5’10” (178 cm)
WEIGHT 130 pounds (59 kg)
WEIGHT 135 pounds (61 kg)
WEIGHT 140 pounds (63 kg)
STANCE Natural
STANCE Natural
STANCE Goofy
BELLS BEST Rookie
BELLS BEST Rookie
BELLS BEST Rookie • The top 17 may be subject to change by the event starting date.
OCEANSIDE
Living The Search Since 1969. • PRE PROGRAMMED TIDE CHARTS FOR 200 BEACHES • 100% WATERPROOF TESTED 200M
DILLON, OWEN, WILKO & MICK R
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Today they put the surfing back into pro surfing! – Damien Hardman, after winning at Johanna in 1993, a day that saw the contest moved 200 kilometres to get good surf, and helped start a pro surfing revolution.
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Natural/regular-foot surfers (ie. left-foot forward) have won 34 of the 39 Rip Curl Pro men’s titles, and 31 of the 34 women’s titles.
MOBILE EVENT LOCATIONS What do you do when the surf is really bad and you’re trying 1. BELLS BEACH to finish a major international surf competition? • Wave Type: Right rock reef/point break You go searching for better waves… • Best Swell Direction: south-west Before the 1993 Rip Curl Pro, event mobility simply wasn’t a part • Best Swell Size: 4 to 12 feet (1 to 3 metres) of the ASP World Tour game. • Best Wind Direction: north, north-west Best Tide: High for Rincon, Low for The Bowl. Facing a grim-looking swell forecast for Bells that fateful Easter • weekend, Rip Curl founders Doug “Claw” Warbrick and Brian Bells really has two significant breaks that we focus on: Rincon Singer pulled a little trick that worked magic for them back in and The Bowl. Rincon works best when the tide is really high in 1972 when Bells was equally flat and the Easter Rally had to be smaller swell, around 2 to 4 feet. Out of the two, Rincon is the finished. They asked the remaining competitors if they were up least preferred option at Bells. But, on a bigger swell from the for a drive to get really good waves to finish the contest. right direction, you can take off at the Rincon peak and get a Answered loudly yes, they duly packed up the remaining few big power carves off before hopefully flying into The Bowl, surfers, judges and staff into a motley convoy of vehicles, which is really what has made Bells so famous. The Bowl works spread the word among the few hundred gathered spectators from about 3 feet all the way up to 15 and possibly bigger, but and said, “Follow us”… the optimum conditions are 4 to 10 feet. When it’s on, there are Two hours later down the Great Ocean Road in the Cape few waves on the planet that can test your wave-reading and Otway National Park, the convoy stopped at pristine Johanna Beach, where they were greeted with beautiful six-foot A-frame rail surfing like the Bowl, and the best surfers even manage to find pretty elusive Bells barrels. beachbreak peaks, and the comp was completed.
2. WINKIPOP • Wave Type: Right rock reef/point break • Best Swell Direction: south-west • Best Swell Size: 2 to 10 feet (1 to 3 metres) • Best Wind Direction: north-west • Best Tide: Low to mid Winkipop is a definite favourite of most of the WCT surfers today. It’s a really fast, down-the-line wave that on its best days can resemble South Africa’s infamous Jeffreys Bay. Winki has two defined take-off spots – the top of the point is known as Uppers and towards Torquay is Lowers. Some of the best waves come through at Lowers where it gets really hollow and fast.
3. JOHANNA BEACH • Wave Type: sand & rock-bottom beachbreak peaks • Best Swell Direction: south-west • Best Swell Size: 4 to 6 feet (1 to 2 metres) • Best Wind Direction: north-east • Best Tide: Depends on the banks Johanna is where we go when we really have our backs up against the wall — like if we’ve got one or two days left in the waiting period and Bells is dead flat. If there is any swell in the Southern Ocean, Johanna will pick it up. If the sand banks are in great shape, you can get some of the best beachbreak waves in the world out there.
The overwhelming success of that bold move in ’93 helped spark a remarkable transformation of ASP events. PHOTO: ASP/KirSTIN
A well-established tour system of comps with four-day event dates, generally in summer when the chances of good waves were slim at best, in mostly metropolitan locations around the world, was slowly abandoned. In its place to decide the annual world titles emerged The Dream Tour – fewer comps, held at some of the world’s great surf spots, with two-week waiting periods at times when the likelihood of good surf conditions was high. The 1993 final day at Johanna saw Damien “Dooma” Hardman take his second Bell home and, along with it, a unique slice of pro surfing history. Two decades later, wily Dooma is the Rip Curl Pro Competition Director, which means he is responsible for making the tough calls when Bells goes quiet. JOEL PARKINSON
4. 13TH BEACH • Wave Type: sand & rock bottom beachbreak peaks • Best Swell Direction: south-west • Best Swell Size: 2 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 metres) • Best Wind Direction: north-east • Best Tide: Depends on the banks Only a 15-minute drive from Torquay, 13th is a good alternative if the swell and wind are wrong at Bells and it can definitely save us driving all the way to Johanna. Breaking over flat rock reef as well as sand, 13th offers up punchy A-frame peaks that in the right conditions bring out the best in high-performance.
THE BELLS LINE–UP
PHOTO: STEVE ARKLAY
5. WOOLAMAI, PHILLIP ISLAND • Wave Type: sand & rock bottom beachbreak peaks • Best Swell Direction: south-west • Best Swell Size: 2 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 metres) • Best Wind Direction: north-east • Best Tide: Depends on the banks Woolamai is about a 4-hour drive from Torquay. Lucky for us, it’s a lot like Johanna, being a Southern Ocean swell magnet, but it still works on a north wind and can even handle a southeast wind. It’s one of those places that has A-frame banks all up and down the beach, and on its day it can be as good as any beachbreak in the world.
PHOTO: STEVE ARKLAY
PHOTO: Liam ROBERTSON
The official surf forecaster for the 2012 Rip Curl Pro Presented by FORD
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Alana Blanchard in the Mohawk Jacket. Now available at ripcurl.com.au
Are you a Flickr user? Share your photos with us and view our pics from the event at flickr.com/ripcurl
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“
The Bell means so much because of its long history and the people who’ve won it - my surfing idols. – Tom Curren
”
12 current and 2 former ASP World Championship Tour surfers have appeared in GromSearch finals at Bells.
TOMMY BOUCAUT
JACOB WILLCOX
TOMMY BOUCAUT
EDIANA PUTRA
JOE VAN DIJK
2012 Rip Curl International GromSearch Imagine you are a young surfer who gets a chance to perform at the legendary Bells Beach during the Rip Curl Pro waiting period. You get a paid trip, you get to surf in front of thousands of people and you get to hang around the world’s best surfers, maybe even meet a few of them!
2012 International GromSearch Finalists Boys From
That’s exactly what lies ahead for 16 groms from six countries during Easter 2012. After battling through National Series events in their home countries, they’ve earned a trip-and-a-half, plus a comp jersey to paddle out at Bells for the 7th Rip Curl International GromSearch Grand Finals. A glance at the names of previous GromSearch finalists shows there is a very good chance at least some of the kids having a crack at Bells in 2012 will end up back here in years ahead hoping to ring the Bell and contending for an ASP World Title.
From
PREVIOUS International GromSearch Champions Boys From
Four-time ASP world champion Stephanie Gilmore, current World Tour surfers Owen and Tyler Wright (the first brother/ sister combination to be vying for open world titles at the same time), Gabriel Medina, Laura Enever, Matt Wilkinson, Coco Ho, Jordy Smith, Paige Hareb, Kolohe Andino, Malia Manuel, and previous World Tour competitors Alana Blanchard and Bruna Schmitz all got the chance to come to Bells as wide-eyed groms. Reckon it fuelled their dreams of becoming pro surfers?
Girls
Miguel Blanco Portugal Leticia Canales Portugal Tommy Boucat Australia Carole Fernandez Brazil Dylan Lightfoot South Africa Stephanie Single Australia Ediana Putra Indonesia Tatiana Weston-Webb USA Cam Richards USA Ella Williams New Zealand Filipe Toledo Brazil Joe Van Dijk Australia Jacob Willcox Australia Sean Kettle New Zealand
WA FINALISTS
Mitch Parkinson Gabriel Medina Thomas Woods Dale Staples Tyler Newton Owen Wright Mason Ho
Australia Brazil Australia South Africa USA Australia USA
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Girls
From
Nikki Van Dijk Bianca Buitendag Nikki Van Dijk Malia Jones Tyler Wright Alana Blanchard Nikita Robb
Australia South Africa Australia USA Australia USA South Africa
YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHECKLIST I the Rip Curl Pro
I'm at the #ripcurlpro with @ripcurlpro
Here's a trendy vintage photo at the #ripcurlpro
I just CHECKED IN at the Rip Curl Pro. Tom Curren is Mayor.
Here is a collection of “surfing” photos from the “Rip Curl Pro”
Here is a “surfing” video of “parko” ringing “the bell”
FIND US ONLINE & JOIN THE CREW
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� Bells with all the cars and whistles.
Ford. Presenting partner of the Rip Curl Pro. Steph Gilmore, Ford team rider.
ford.com.au Fiesta Zetec shown with accessory carry bars.
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T H E WO R L D’ S F A S T E S T D R Y I N G W E T S U I T