Rip Curl Pro Explained

Rip Curl Pro
Current Season:	Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2024
Pixels:	125 px
Sport:	Surfing
Country:	Australia
Champion:	Cole Houshmand (Men) Caitlin Simmers (Woman)
Most Champs:	Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater e Mark Richards 4 titles (Men) Gail Couper 10 titles (Woman)
Website:	http://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2016/mct/1413/rip-curl-pro-bells-beach, http://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2016/wct/1412/rip-curl-womens-pro-bells-beach

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]

The song "Hells Bells" by AC/DC is played every morning before the first competition.^[3]

History

The 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

Since the birth of this competition it had different names.

Results

Men

Men
width=70	Year	width=160	Winner	width=160	Nation	width=70	Score	width=160	Runner-Up	width=160	Nation	width=70	Score	width=100	Prizemoney
2023	Ethan Ewing		14.50	Ryan Callinan		11.00	$80,000
2022	Filipe Toledo		14.74	Callum Robson		12.94	$80,000
2021	Not Held		align=center	-	align=center	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
2020	Not Held		align=center	-	align=center	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
2019	John John Florence	Hawaii	14.30	Filipe Toledo		13.83	$607,800
2018	Italo Ferreira		15.66	Mick Fanning		12.83	$607,800
2017	Jordy Smith		18.90	Caio Ibelli		17.46	$579,000
2016	Matt Wilkinson		17.37	Jordy Smith		14.16	$551,000
2015	Mick Fanning (4)		15.27	Adriano De Souza		15.27	$525,000
2014	Mick Fanning (3)		16.83	Taj Burrow		13.26	$450,000
2013	Adriano De Souza		16.26	Nat Young		15.83	$450,000
2012	Mick Fanning (2)		18.80	Kelly Slater		18.07	$425,000
2011	Joel Parkinson (3)		18.53	Mick Fanning		13.25	$425,000
2010	Kelly Slater (4)		17.03	Mick Fanning		12.00	$400,000
2009	Joel Parkinson (2)		17.40	Adam Robertson		13.37	$320,000
2008	Kelly Slater (3)		15.63	Bede Durbidge		15.16	$320,000
2007	Taj Burrow		16.83	Andy Irons	Hawaii	14.73	$300,000
2006	Kelly Slater (2)		15.44	Joel Parkinson		13.83	$280,000
2005	Trent Munro		16.57	Andy Irons	Hawaii	15.07	$270,000
2004	Joel Parkinson		17.13	Taj Burrow		14.04	$250,000
2003	Andy Irons (2)	Hawaii	17.57	Joel Parkinson		15.40	$250,000
2002	Andy Irons	Hawaii	24.45	Sunny Garcia	Hawaii	22.65	$250,000
2001	Mick Fanning		20.85	Danny Wills		19.15	$250,000
2000	Sunny Garcia (3)	Hawaii	23.05	Flavio Padaratz		21.00	$135,600
1999	Shane Dorian	Hawaii	24.75	Sunny Garcia	Hawaii	23.65	$120,600
1998	Mark Occhilupo		24.25	Shane Dorian	Hawaii	19.80	$120,600
1997	Matt Hoy		26.50	Damien Hardman		21.80	$120,600
1996	Sunny Garcia (2)	Hawaii	30.80	Todd Prestage		29.15	$105,000
1995	Sunny Garcia	Hawaii	34.70	John Shimooka	Hawaii	33.00	$105,000
1994	Kelly Slater		29.70	Martin Potter		28.30	$105,000
1993	Damien Hardman (2)		22.00	Barton Lynch		20.00	$100,000
1992	Richie Collins		30.00	Martin Potter		27.00	$100,000
1991	Barton Lynch		71.80	Damien Hardman		68.80	$125,000
1990	Tom Curren (2)		111.3	Dave Macaulay		100.8	$92,500
1989	Martin Potter		123.5	Damien Hardman		113.3	$66,500
1988	Damien Hardman		126.6	Tom Carroll		114.1	$42,000
1987	Nick Wood		3	Richard Marsh		2	$35,000
1986	Tom Carroll		5	Tom Curren		0	$30,000
1985	Tom Curren		2	Richard Cram		1	$25,000
1984	Cheyne Horan		2	Tom Carroll		0	$25,000
1983	Joe Engel			Wes Laine
1982	Mark Richards (4)			Tom Carroll			$20,000
1981	Simon Anderson (3)			Cheyne Horan			$16,000
1980	Mark Richards (3)			Wayne Bartholomew			$15,100
1979	Mark Richards (2)			Wayne Bartholomew			$11,200
1978	Mark Richards			Wayne Bartholomew			$14,450
1977	Simon Anderson			Peter Drouyn			$9,500
1976	Jeff Hakman	Hawaii		Ian Cairns			$6,000
1975	Michael Peterson (3)			Shaun Tomson
1974	Michael Peterson (2)			Peter Drouyn
1973	Michael Peterson			Midget Farrelly
1972	Terry Fitzgerald			Peter Drouyn
1971	Paul Neilsen			Peter Drouyn
1970	Nat Young (3)			Ted Spencer
1969	Ted Spencer (2)			Frank Latta
1968	Ted Spencer			Keith Paull
1967	Nat Young (2)			Peter Drouyn
1966
1965	Robert Conneely			Nat Young
1964	Mick Dooley
1963	Doug Andrew
1962	Glynn Ritchie
1961*	George "Ming" Smith						£1 ($2) Note: Smith won "wave of the day", not the actual final and the 1961 event was actually held in 1962.

Women

Women
width=70	Year	width=160	Winner	width=160	Nation	width=70	Score	width=160	Runner-Up	width=160	Nation	width=70	Score	width=100	Prizemoney
2023	Tyler Wright (2)		16.00	Molly Picklum		12.00	$80,000
2022	Tyler Wright		16.93	Carissa Moore	Hawaii	10.57	$80,000
2021	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2020	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2019	Courtney Conlogue (3)		15.83	Malia Manuel	Hawaii	14.84	$420,800
2018	Stephanie Gilmore (4)		14.17	Tatiana Weston-Webb	Hawaii	13.94	$298,900
2017	Courtney Conlogue (2)		17.00	Stephanie Gilmore		16.33	$289,500
2016	Courtney Conlogue		16.53 (9.03)	Sally Fitzgibbons		16.43 (8.33)	$275,500
2015	Carissa Moore (3)		14.00	Stephanie Gilmore		13.27	$262,500
2014	Carissa Moore (2)		15.73	Tyler Wright		14.10	$250,000
2013	Carissa Moore	Hawaii	11.00	Tyler Wright		6.94	$120,000
2012	Sally Fitzgibbons (2)		10.76	Stephanie Gilmore		10.33	$110,000
2011	Sally Fitzgibbons		16.77	Carissa Moore	Hawaii	15.40	$110,000
2010	Stephanie Gilmore (3)		14.67	Sofia Mulanovich		10.00	$100,000
2009	Silvana Lima		17.34	Stephanie Gilmore		13.06	$90,000
2008	Stephanie Gilmore (2)		16.50	Sofia Mulanovich		16.17	$85,000
2007	Stephanie Gilmore		16.50	Sofia Mulanovich		11.93	$80,000
2006	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2005	Sofia Mulanovich		15.83	Serena Brooke		11.83	$65,000
2004	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2003	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2002	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2001	Neridah Falconer			-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
2000	Megan Abubo	Hawaii	18.90	Rochelle Ballard	Hawaii	18.75	$30,000
1999	Layne Beachley (3)		21.25	Sandie Dryden		17.40	$30,000
1998	Layne Beachley (2)		24.50	Prue Jeffries		21.90	$30,000
1997	Lisa Andersen (4)		26.00	Pam Burridge		23.65	$35,000
1996	Pauline Menczer (3)		22.30	Lisa Andersen		22.25	$25,000
1995	Lisa Andersen (3)		27.10	Pauline Menczer		26.30	$25,000
1994	Layne Beachley		20.67	Lisa Andersen		13.16	$25,000
1993	Pauline Menczer (2)		19.7	Wendy Botha		16.3	$25,000
1992	Lisa Andersen (2)		23.2	Neridah Falconer		22.6	$20,000
1991	Pauline Menczer		90.8	Michele Donoghoe		88.3	$20,000
1990	Lisa Andersen		111.5	Kim Mearig		98	$20,000
1989	Wendy Botha		120.8	Toni Sawyer		104.5	$15,000
1988	Kim Mearig (2)		115.9	Freida Zamba		113.5	$13,500
1987	Jodie Cooper		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1986	Frieda Zamba (2)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1985	Frieda Zamba		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1984	Kim Mearig		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1983	Helen Lambert		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1982	Debbie Beacham		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1981	Linda Davoli		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1980	Margo Oberg (3)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1979	Lynne Boyer		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1978	Margo Oberg (2)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1977	Margo Oberg		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1976	Gail Couper (10)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1975	Gail Couper (9)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	$200
1974	Gail Couper (8)		align=center	-	Judy Trim		align=center	-	align=center	-
1973	Not held		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1972	Gail Couper (7)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1971	Gail Couper (6)		align=center	-	Judy Trim		align=center	-	align=center	-
1970	Gail Couper (5)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1969	Vivien Campbell		align=center	-	Phyllis O'Donnell		align=center	-	align=center	-
1968	Gail Couper (4)		align=center	-	Vivien Campbell		align=center	-	align=center	-
1967	Gail Couper (3)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1966	Gail Couper (2)		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1965	Not held	-		-	-	align=center	-	align=center	-
1964	Gail Couper		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1963	Not held		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-
1962	Not held		align=center	-	-		align=center	-	align=center	-

^[8]

See also

• Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
• Margaret River Pro

Bibliography

• Mark Richards: A Surfing Legend, authorised biography by David Knox, 1992,
• 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

• ASP World Tour Rankings & Results

Notes and References

1. http://www.aspworldtour.com/schedule/asp-world-tour-schedule/ ASP World Tour Schedule
2. Web site: How Bells Beach changed the shape of modern surfing forever . Shackell . James . 29 June 2020 . Redbull . 13 December 2023 .
3. News: Wilson . Peter . Gilmore wins Rip Curl Women's Pro . 3 April 2010 . ESPN.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20110227030718/http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/blog/_/post/5052635 . dead . 27 February 2011.
4. http://www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/bells.htm Surf Coast Shire
5. Web site: Turning Points . 21 October 2020 .
6. Web site: Bells Beach » Torquay Historical Society .
7. Web site: Surfing News . www.surfingaustralia.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200618153543/https://www.surfingaustralia.com/SurfingVictoria/news/20RCPpostponed . 2020-06-18.
8. Web site: Source . 11 March 2011 . 24 July 2012 . https://archive.today/20120724085338/http://www.aspworldtour.com/archived-world-tour-rankings-and-results/ . dead .