Three-time Rip Curl Pro champ, Mick Fanning, utilizes his power and drive at the Bowl down at Bells Beach. Photo: Kristin Scholtz
The 2015 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, stop number two on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League, kicks off on Wednesday April 1st with a waiting period that runs until April 12th. As surfing’s longest-running surf competition, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach remains one of the most highly coveted prizes in all of professional surfing. With its “Win It to Ring It” mantra, Bells consistently delivers the most fervent showcase professional surfing has to offer.
The list of former champions competing at the 2015 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach include Carissa Moore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Stephanie Gilmore, Silvana Lima, Mick Fanning, Adriano de Souza, Joel Parkinson, Kelly Slater, and Taj Burrow.
An overwhelming favorite for the 2015 Rip Curl Women’s Pro is world No. 1, Carissa Moore. Carissa’s blend of raw power and flawless style perfectly match the hefty point break of Bells, which includes The Bowl and Little Rincon. Conventional wisdom would normally favor a former Bells champion, however, conventional wisdom was absolutely smashed by blue jersey domination just a few short weeks ago at the 2015 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
The Brazilian dominance we saw at Snapper Rocks may be subdued a bit at Bells, as the Brazilian contingent will possibly find the generally flatter sections of Bells ill-suited to their hyperdynamic flair-filled surfing. If utilized, the event’s backup site of Winkipop will prove to be a much more favorable venue allowing all surfers, particularly the Brazilian storm, the ability to showcase their brilliance.
The early forecast for the 2015 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach does not look favorable at this time. However, the Southern Ocean is capable of quickly producing excellent surf, fueled by the strong low-pressure systems pushing swell north from the Antarctic.
All the live and on demand action can be viewed here at the WSL website.
