The Rip Curl Pro, formerly the Bells Beach Surf Classic, is a WSL (formerly ASP) World Tour surfing competition held in and around Torquay, Victoria and sponsored by surf company Rip Curl. The event is based at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia. The event winner is awarded the prestigious 'Bell' trophy.[1] It is the longest running professional surfing competition in the world.[2]
Current season, competition or edition: Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2024 | |
| Sport | Surfing |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Cole Houshmand (Men) Caitlin Simmers (Woman) |
| Most titles |  Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater e Mark Richards 4 titles (Men) Gail Couper 10 titles (Woman) |
| Official website | [1], [2] |
The song "Hells Bells" by AC/DC is played every morning before the first competition.[3]
History
editThe competition has been held annually at Easter time at Bells Beach, Victoria continuously since 1962,[4] becoming a professional competition and sponsored by Rip Curl in 1973.[2] The contest has had various sponsors over the years, including in 1984 Australian rock band, Australian Crawl.
The first Bells Beach contest was supposed to be held in late 1961 but was delayed until the Australia day weekend of 1962. The first winner was NSW surfer Glynn Ritchie.[5] Occasionally George "Ming" Smith is credited as winning the 1961 event but he actually won the "wave of the day" in the first contest (1962) and was awarded a prize of 1 pound, and a pennant saying "winner 1961".
The event became mobile from 1993, and was held at various locations in Victoria, depending upon weather conditions. The entire 2005 event was held at Phillip Island due to poor conditions in Torquay. The event is now held only at Bells Beach and nearby Winkipop.
The famous Bells trophy was designed and built by Bells Beach local Joe Sweeney. The first time a Bell trophy was awarded was 1968. Winners of the Rip Curl Pro receive smaller replica Bells trophies to keep. Each year, Rip Curl founder Doug 'Claw' Warbrick presents the trophies to the winning athletes.[6]
The 2020 and 2021 contests were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
Naming
editSince the birth of this competition it had different names.
Results
editMen
edit
Women
edit
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ ASP World Tour Schedule (accessed 28 April 2011)
- ^ a b Shackell, James (29 June 2020). "How Bells Beach changed the shape of modern surfing forever". Redbull. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Peter (3 April 2010). "Gilmore wins Rip Curl Women's Pro". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011.
- ^ Surf Coast Shire Archived 31 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Turning Points". 21 October 2020.
- ^ "Bells Beach » Torquay Historical Society".
- ^ "Surfing News". www.surfingaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020.
- ^ "Source". Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
Bibliography
edit- Mark Richards: A Surfing Legend, authorised biography by David Knox, 1992, ISBN 0-207-17489-X
- The Ol' Girl, Tracks magazine, March 2006 (listing men's winners 1973 to 2005)
- Kelly Slater Wins 2006 Rip Curl Pro, by Nick Carroll at Surfing Magazine.
External links
edit- ASP World Tour Rankings & Results Archived 24 July 2012 at archive.today