Bells Beach, located on the southern coast of Victoria, Australia, is about to host its 61st event. This year, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach event will happen from March 26 to April 5.
The event is the longest running event on the World Surf League circuit and one of the most popular with fans and surfers alike. From emotional wins to retirement announcements, there’s been no shortage of drama and glory at this world-class venue.
What Makes Bell’s Beach so Iconic?
Whether it’s the memorable staircase or the long lines of cold water rights, Bell’s Beach represents the rugged and untamed side of surfing.
For thousands of years, the indigenous Wadawurrung People foraged for shellfish on the reef that juts out in front of the modern beach. In the 19th century, Australian farmers started farming the land surrounding the break, and word started spreading about the excellent waves that break there.
Photo by Jamie Davies on Unsplash
The spot is named after John Calvert Bell, one of the area’s first farmers. In the 1930s onwards, the rural wave attracted surfers who made the long and muddy trek through the farms and down the steep hillside to the break.
After local surfers bulldozed a path, surfers and community organizers held the first professional event there in 1962. In 1972, it became the official Rip Curl Pro, making it the longest running professional surfing event.
Throughout its long history, the spot has been ground zero for several of surfing’s most important moments. From Simon Anderson’s debut of the thruster surfboard in 1981 to Mick Fanning’s debut win in 2001.
Today, it’s recognized as one of surfing’s crown jewels. Although fickle, when the conditions line up, long-period waves from the Southern Ocean march into the Bass Strait and hug the limestone reefs along the coast of Victoria. When these waves hit the reef at Bells, they create long and powerful rights that provide the perfect canvases for the world’s best.
What to Look Forward to for this Year’s Event
This year, we can look forward to some of the most exciting lineups in professional surfing history.
Fighting for the gold jersey on the women’s side are:
- Molly Picklum
- Johanne Defay
- Bettylou Sakura Johnson
- Caitlin Simmers
- Caroline Marks
For the men are:
- Griffin Colapinto
- Ethan Ewing
- John John Florence
- Jack Robinson
- Barron Mamiya
We are expecting a decent pulse of southwest swell for the first day of the event. Waves should be a tad over head-high but with unpredictable wind directions.
Tune in to the World Surf League to follow the action.