bells beach rip curl pro 2023

As the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2023 fast approaches, with the official waiting period commencing on the 4th of April, we delve in the history of the world’s longest running competitive surfing event, what it means to the WSL championship tour, what it means to local community and business, a run down on this years events, the recent forecast announcement, and what there is to do if you’re heading to Bells to watch the historic event.

Bells trophy over looking Bells Beach (ripcurl.com)

First held in 1962, we have seen this historic event at Bells Beach become one of the biggest competitions on the WSL championship tour calendar.  Now taking place annually over Easter time, the easter full moon and king tide creates perfect conditions and swell for the worlds best surfers to battle it out on the ever so famous right handers, in an attempt to etch their names in history, shake that gloried Bells Beach trophy (designed and built by local Joe Sweeny) and collect their points for the WSL championship tour.

Since 1962, we have seen some of the biggest names in world surfing take on the competition, which became a pro event for the first time in 1973, dividing the surf world. Since then, we have been provided with endless memories and some of surfing’s greatest ever battles and moments. In 1993, the event became mobile, being held across various locations along the Victorian coast, depending on local weather conditions. In 2005, the entire competition was help on Phillip Island, as a result of poor conditions and lack of swell in Torquey. Now the competition is permanently held at the famous Bells Beach.

First Bells Beach Contest Competitors

-Colin Blunt 1962

Andy Irons 2005 Rip Curl Pro – worldsurfleauge.com

Although it hasn’t always been so memorable, when in 2020 and 2021, we saw the competition put into jeopardy, when the covid-19 pandemic put a holt on things, and we all worried that the competition may never recover. All these concerns were put to rest in 2022, when the event returned to the shores of Bells, and we watched record crowds swarm the sand, to once again witness history in the making.

Over the years, many surfers from around the world have bathed in glory at Bells, with names like John John Florence, Kely Slater, Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning, Andy Irons, Tyler Wright, Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons and so many more shake that ever so famous bell. We all have our memories of winners passed, yet the competition seems to be so often dominated by the Aussies.

 More recently, the event has seen a dominant presence from surfers such as Mick Fanning (4 wins), Kelly Slater (4 wins), Steph Gilmore (3 wins) and Courtney Conlogue (4 wins).

Steffanie Gilmore winning 2018 Rip Curl Pro

With such a big surfing event taking place just out of the surf town of Torquay, the benefits it has to local community and business and general feeling of the community are amazing. To gage an understanding on this we spoke to Dylan from Strapper Surf in Torquay, where he explained to us how the combination of the long weekend, school holidays and the Rip Curl Pro is the dream scenario for them. Being a surf hardware store and having a general surf demographic in town over this period, business is able to thrive, as they are able to sell a large amount of needed stock on the change of seasons.

This year in Torquay, there is a sense of excitement that can be felt around town, with many international surfers and visitors making their way to the event for the first time since prior to covid. This met with events and parties every night the whole way through the competition for the first time since covid, is bringing a positive feeling and vibe back into this local community, set to be beneficial in boosting local business and the local economy.

Strapper Surf Torquay

This year we see the top 34 men from the WSL championship tour plus 2 wildcards along with the top 17 women from the tour and 1 wildcard do battle at Bells.

We have seen Owen Wright score him self a wildcard spot at Bells this year, announcing that this will be his last WSL event, retiring from competitive surfing after the event. Wright learning to walk, talk and surf again after suffering a traumatic brain injury while surfing in 2015, has been a huge inspiration to many over the years, and we will all truly miss watching him compete. Could a fairy tale ending be on the cards for Wright, time will only tell.

Owen Wright with family

Torquay’s very own Xavier Huxtable has also scored him self a wildcard spot at the event, after posting a superb score in his final, showing onlookers why he will be dangerous in the Rip Curl Pro, and certainly set to be a favourite among local crowds.

Tweed Heads’ local Kobie Enright has also snatched her wildcard spot in the women’s, putting on quite the display in her final, impressing judges and onlookers, set to make her mark known at the Rip Curl Pro

Wildcard entires Xaviere Huxtable and Kobi Enright after winning Rip Curl Pro trials

Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco) and Jadson Andre (Brazil) have both been said to miss the event with injury, with Dylan Moffat (Australia) being announced as an injury replacement. Miguel Pupo (Brazil) has also withdrawn from the competition due to an ongoing injury, he will be replaced by Morgon Cibilic, the second highest ranked Australian on the Challenger Series.

Official forecast

TUES 4th: Modest yet fun surf, clean in AM – Possible run for at least AM

WED 5th: Smaller surf and with onshore wind – likely off

THURS 6th: New/modest swell but wind problematic  – Possible run for at least AM

FRI 7th: Smaller, easing surf but clean – Possible run for at least AM

SAT/SUN 8th-9th: Possible rise of jumbled surf and unfavorable wind — likely off

TUESDAY 4th: 3-4’+ faces, strongest in the AM. Offshore wind in AM, shifting onshore in PM

SWELL/SURF: Leftovers of old/easing SW swell still provide contestable sets mainly around chest high. Strongest through the morning with occasional waves still reaching shoulder high+ with the incoming tide push. Consistency is expected to be fair in the morning with occasional lulls, then less consistent in the afternoon.

WIND/CONDITIONS: Clean conditions through the morning, with light offshore NW-WNW wind to start, then trending light/variable by the late morning. Moderate+ onshore S veering SSE-SE wind rises midday through the afternoon to create surface bump.

TIDE: 1.1m low at 4:43am, 1.5m high at 10:10am, 1m low at 4:16pm

WEDNESDAY 5th: 2-3’+ faces. Onshore wind all day

SWELL/SURF: Touch less size compared to Tuesday. Small SW energy lingers with sets mainly around the waist-belly high zone.

WIND: The morning already starts out with light+ to moderate onshore SE wind, becoming moderate+ by midday, likely sooner.

TIDE: 1m low at 5:30am, 1.6m high at 11:19am, 0.9m low at 5:28pm

THURSDAY 6th: Holding 3-4’+ faces. Sideshore wind in AM, shifting onshore in PM.

SWELL/SURF: Slight increase from Wednesday as a fresh dose of modest mid-period SW-SSW swell arrives. Sets bump back up into mainly the chest high zone, occasionally shoulder to possibly head high. Consistency looks fair overall.

WIND: Sideshore devil wind in the morning from the NE, but on the lighter side 4-5 knots. Clocking straight onshore from the SE and becoming moderate in the afternoon.

TIDE: 0.9m low at 6:01am, 1.8m high at 12:10pm, 0.9m low at 6:16pm

FRIDAY 7th: 2-3’ faces. Favorable wind for at least the AM.

SWELL/SURF: Easing SW-SSW swell, with surf size and consistency slowly decreasing. Morning offers sets in the waist-belly high zone on the incoming tide push, then knee-waist high in the afternoon.

WIND: Offshore N-NW wind in the AM, looking to become light/variable midday and into the afternoon. Good chance for a light onshore wind to develop for a period in the afternoon.

TIDE: 0.7m low at 6:28am, 2m high at 12:53pm, 0.8m low at 6:55pm

SATURDAY 8th: 2-3’ faces in AM, possibly building to 4-6’ over PM. Offshore wind in AM, shifting sideshore and strong in PM.

SWELL/SURF: Small, overlapping blend of swells in the morning. Then watching for a build of short to mid period SW-SSW swell over the afternoon with head high+ waves eventually rising up. However, surface conditions are looking to fall apart as the surf picks up. Also, this swell is looking to be jumbled, mixed-up.

WIND: Light+ becoming moderate+ offshore NW veering W wind over the morning. Wind shifts sideshore from the WSW to SW in the afternoon and becomes strong.

TIDE: 0.5m low at 6:56am, 2.1m high at 1:33pm, 0.7m low at 7:30pm

Possibly incoming swell for the back half of the waiting period – swellnet.com

HEAT DRAW:

MENS 2023 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

Heat 1: Ethan Ewing, Nat Young, Carlos Munoz

Heat 2: Griffin Colapinto, Seth Moniz, Maxime Huscenot

Heat 3: Caio Ibelli, Ryan Callinan, Ezekiel Lau

Heat 4: Joao Chianca, Matthew McGillivray, Dylan Moffat**

Heat 5: Filipe Toledo, Ian Gentil, Owen Wright*

Heat 6: Jack Robinson, Kelly Slater, Xavier Huxtable *

Heat 7: Italo Ferreira, Conner O'Leary, Kolohe Andino

Heat 8: Callum Robson, Jordy Smith, Michael Rodrigues

Heat 9: Leo Fioravanti, Rio Waida, Jackson Baker

Heat 10: Yago Dora, Samuel Pupo, Jake Marshall

Heat 11: Gabriel Medina, Kanoa Igarashi, Liam O'Brien

Heat 12: John Florence, Miguel Pupo, Barron Mamiya

Women’s 2021 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

Heat 1: Caitlin Simmer, Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Sophie McCulloch

Heat 2: Molly Picklum, Macy Callaghan, Johanne Defay

Heat 3: Carissa Moore, Lakey Peterson, Kobie Enright*

Heat 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb, Caroline Marks, Isabella Nichols

Heat 5: Tyler Wright, Gabriela Bryan, Sally Fitzgibbons

Heat 6: Steph Gilmore, Brisa Hennessey, Courtney Conlogue

* - Wildcard

** - Injury replacement

Guide to Rip Curl Pro 2023

Don’t want to drive your car into Bells Beach? Shuttle busses will be running over the Easter Long Weekend, with hourly services departing from the Rip Curl store Torquay (more info ripcurl.com).

If you’re unable to get to Bells beach, but are still in Torquay, you can catch the screening of the Rip Curl Pro live out the front of Rip Curls board store, you’ll be able to relax in the sun as you watch the world’s best wreak havoc and battle it out on the famous right hand points.

What to do on a lay day? Well, you are already on the surf coast so why not make the most of it, grab your board and head out to the best local spots, live it up and take on what the pros are.

With many other events and activities happening over the two-week period in Torquay and surrounding areas, you are sure to find plenty to see, do and keep you entertained.

Can’t make it to Bells this year? No need to stress, you can catch all the live action via the WSL website.

Live update:

Day 1 – 4th of April called off due to small swell.