Australian surfing competition
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]
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]
Since the birth of this competition it had different names.
| Men |
| Year | Winner | Nation | Score | Runner-Up | Nation | Score | Prizemoney |
| 2023 | Ethan Ewing |  Australia | 14.50 | Ryan Callinan | Australia | 11.00 | $80,000 |
| 2022 | Filipe Toledo |  Brazil | 14.74 | Callum Robson | Australia | 12.94 | $80,000 |
| 2021 | Not Held | | - | - | | - | - |
| 2020 | Not Held | | - | - | | - | - |
| 2019 | John John Florence |  Hawaii | 14.30 | Filipe Toledo | Brazil | 13.83 | $607,800 |
| 2018 | Italo Ferreira | Brazil | 15.66 | Mick Fanning | Australia | 12.83 | $607,800 |
| 2017 | Jordy Smith |  South Africa | 18.90 | Caio Ibelli | Brazil | 17.46 | $579,000 |
| 2016 | Matt Wilkinson | Australia | 17.37 | Jordy Smith | South Africa | 14.16 | $551,000 |
| 2015 | Mick Fanning (4) | Australia | 15.27 | Adriano De Souza | Brazil | 15.27 | $525,000 |
| 2014 | Mick Fanning (3) | Australia | 16.83 | Taj Burrow | Australia | 13.26 | $450,000 |
| 2013 | Adriano De Souza | Brazil | 16.26 | Nat Young |  United States | 15.83 | $450,000 |
| 2012 | Mick Fanning (2) | Australia | 18.80 | Kelly Slater | United States | 18.07 | $425,000 |
| 2011 | Joel Parkinson (3) | Australia | 18.53 | Mick Fanning | Australia | 13.25 | $425,000 |
| 2010 | Kelly Slater (4) | United States | 17.03 | Mick Fanning | Australia | 12.00 | $400,000 |
| 2009 | Joel Parkinson (2) | Australia | 17.40 | Adam Robertson | Australia | 13.37 | $320,000 |
| 2008 | Kelly Slater (3) | United States | 15.63 | Bede Durbidge | Australia | 15.16 | $320,000 |
| 2007 | Taj Burrow | Australia | 16.83 | Andy Irons | Hawaii | 14.73 | $300,000 |
| 2006 | Kelly Slater (2) | United States | 15.44 | Joel Parkinson | Australia | 13.83 | $280,000 |
| 2005 | Trent Munro | Australia | 16.57 | Andy Irons | Hawaii | 15.07 | $270,000 |
| 2004 | Joel Parkinson | Australia | 17.13 | Taj Burrow | Australia | 14.04 | $250,000 |
| 2003 | Andy Irons (2) | Hawaii | 17.57 | Joel Parkinson | Australia | 15.40 | $250,000 |
| 2002 | Andy Irons | Hawaii | 24.45 | Sunny Garcia | Hawaii | 22.65 | $250,000 |
| 2001 | Mick Fanning | Australia | 20.85 | Danny Wills | Australia | 19.15 | $250,000 |
| 2000 | Sunny Garcia (3) | Hawaii | 23.05 | Flavio Padaratz | Brazil | 21.00 | $135,600 |
| 1999 | Shane Dorian | Hawaii | 24.75 | Sunny Garcia | Hawaii | 23.65 | $120,600 |
| 1998 | Mark Occhilupo | Australia | 24.25 | Shane Dorian | Hawaii | 19.80 | $120,600 |
| 1997 | Matt Hoy | Australia | 26.50 | Damien Hardman | Australia | 21.80 | $120,600 |
| 1996 | Sunny Garcia (2) | Hawaii | 30.80 | Todd Prestage | Australia | 29.15 | $105,000 |
| 1995 | Sunny Garcia | Hawaii | 34.70 | John Shimooka | Hawaii | 33.00 | $105,000 |
| 1994 | Kelly Slater | United States | 29.70 | Martin Potter | Australia | 28.30 | $105,000 |
| 1993 | Damien Hardman (2) | Australia | 22.00 | Barton Lynch | Australia | 20.00 | $100,000 |
| 1992 | Richie Collins | United States | 30.00 | Martin Potter |  United Kingdom | 27.00 | $100,000 |
| 1991 | Barton Lynch | Australia | 71.80 | Damien Hardman | Australia | 68.80 | $125,000 |
| 1990 | Tom Curren (2) | United States | 111.3 | Dave Macaulay | Australia | 100.8 | $92,500 |
| 1989 | Martin Potter | United Kingdom | 123.5 | Damien Hardman | Australia | 113.3 | $66,500 |
| 1988 | Damien Hardman | Australia | 126.6 | Tom Carroll | Australia | 114.1 | $42,000 |
| 1987 | Nick Wood | Australia | 3 | Richard Marsh | Australia | 2 | $35,000 |
| 1986 | Tom Carroll | Australia | 5 | Tom Curren | United States | 0 | $30,000 |
| 1985 | Tom Curren | United States | 2 | Richard Cram | Australia | 1 | $25,000 |
| 1984 | Cheyne Horan | Australia | 2 | Tom Carroll | Australia | 0 | $25,000 |
| 1983 | Joe Engel | Australia | | Wes Laine | United States | | |
| 1982 | Mark Richards (4) | Australia | | Tom Carroll | Australia | | $20,000 |
| 1981 | Simon Anderson (3) | Australia | | Cheyne Horan | Australia | | $16,000 |
| 1980 | Mark Richards (3) | Australia | | Wayne Bartholomew | Australia | | $15,100 |
| 1979 | Mark Richards (2) | Australia | | Wayne Bartholomew | Australia | | $11,200 |
| 1978 | Mark Richards | Australia | | Wayne Bartholomew | Australia | | $14,450 |
| 1977 | Simon Anderson | Australia | | Peter Drouyn | Australia | | $9,500 |
| 1976 | Jeff Hakman | Hawaii | | Ian Cairns | Australia | | $6,000 |
| 1975 | Michael Peterson (3) | Australia | | Shaun Tomson | South Africa | | |
| 1974 | Michael Peterson (2) | Australia | | Peter Drouyn | Australia | | |
| 1973 | Michael Peterson | Australia | | Midget Farrelly | Australia | | |
| 1972 | Terry Fitzgerald | Australia | | Peter Drouyn | Australia | | |
| 1971 | Paul Neilsen | Australia | | Peter Drouyn | Australia | | |
| 1970 | Nat Young (3) | Australia | | Ted Spencer | Australia | | |
| 1969 | Ted Spencer (2) | Australia | | Frank Latta | Australia | | |
| 1968 | Ted Spencer | Australia | | Keith Paull | Australia | | |
| 1967 | Nat Young (2) | Australia | | Peter Drouyn | Australia | | |
| 1966 | Nat Young | Australia | | | | | |
| 1965 | Robert Conneely | Australia | | Nat Young | Australia | | |
| 1964 | Mick Dooley | Australia | | | | | |
| 1963 | Doug Andrew | Australia | | | | | |
| 1962 | Glynn Ritchie | Australia | | | | | |
| 1961* | George "Ming" Smith | Australia | | | | | £1 ($2) Note: Smith won "wave of the day", not the actual final and the 1961 event was actually held in 1962. |
| Women |
| Year | Winner | Nation | Score | Runner-Up | Nation | Score | Prizemoney |
| 2023 | Tyler Wright (2) | Australia | 16.00 | Molly Picklum | Australia | 12.00 | $80,000 |
| 2022 | Tyler Wright | Australia | 16.93 | Carissa Moore | Hawaii | 10.57 | $80,000 |
| 2021 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2019 | Courtney Conlogue (3) | United States | 15.83 | Malia Manuel | Hawaii | 14.84 | $420,800 |
| 2018 | Stephanie Gilmore (4) | Australia | 14.17 | Tatiana Weston-Webb | Hawaii | 13.94 | $298,900 |
| 2017 | Courtney Conlogue (2) | United States | 17.00 | Stephanie Gilmore | Australia | 16.33 | $289,500 |
| 2016 | Courtney Conlogue | United States | 16.53 (9.03) | Sally Fitzgibbons | Australia | 16.43 (8.33) | $275,500 |
| 2015 | Carissa Moore (3) | Hawaii | 14.00 | Stephanie Gilmore | Australia | 13.27 | $262,500 |
| 2014 | Carissa Moore (2) | Hawaii | 15.73 | Tyler Wright | Australia | 14.10 | $250,000 |
| 2013 | Carissa Moore | Hawaii | 11.00 | Tyler Wright | Australia | 6.94 | $120,000 |
| 2012 | Sally Fitzgibbons (2) | Australia | 10.76 | Stephanie Gilmore | Australia | 10.33 | $110,000 |
| 2011 | Sally Fitzgibbons | Australia | 16.77 | Carissa Moore | Hawaii | 15.40 | $110,000 |
| 2010 | Stephanie Gilmore (3) | Australia | 14.67 | Sofia Mulanovich |  Peru | 10.00 | $100,000 |
| 2009 | Silvana Lima | Brazil | 17.34 | Stephanie Gilmore | Australia | 13.06 | $90,000 |
| 2008 | Stephanie Gilmore (2) | Australia | 16.50 | Sofia Mulanovich | Peru | 16.17 | $85,000 |
| 2007 | Stephanie Gilmore | Australia | 16.50 | Sofia Mulanovich | Peru | 11.93 | $80,000 |
| 2006 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | Sofia Mulanovich | Peru | 15.83 | Serena Brooke | Australia | 11.83 | $65,000 |
| 2004 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2003 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | Neridah Falconer | Australia | | - | - | - | - |
| 2000 | Megan Abubo | Hawaii | 18.90 | Rochelle Ballard | Hawaii | 18.75 | $30,000 |
| 1999 | Layne Beachley (3) | Australia | 21.25 | Sandie Dryden | Australia | 17.40 | $30,000 |
| 1998 | Layne Beachley (2) | Australia | 24.50 | Prue Jeffries | Australia | 21.90 | $30,000 |
| 1997 | Lisa Andersen (4) | United States | 26.00 | Pam Burridge | Australia | 23.65 | $35,000 |
| 1996 | Pauline Menczer (3) | Australia | 22.30 | Lisa Andersen | United States | 22.25 | $25,000 |
| 1995 | Lisa Andersen (3) | United States | 27.10 | Pauline Menczer | Australia | 26.30 | $25,000 |
| 1994 | Layne Beachley | Australia | 20.67 | Lisa Andersen | United States | 13.16 | $25,000 |
| 1993 | Pauline Menczer (2) | Australia | 19.7 | Wendy Botha | Australia | 16.3 | $25,000 |
| 1992 | Lisa Andersen (2) | United States | 23.2 | Neridah Falconer | Australia | 22.6 | $20,000 |
| 1991 | Pauline Menczer | Australia | 90.8 | Michele Donoghoe | Australia | 88.3 | $20,000 |
| 1990 | Lisa Andersen | United States | 111.5 | Kim Mearig | United States | 98 | $20,000 |
| 1989 | Wendy Botha | Australia | 120.8 | Toni Sawyer | Australia | 104.5 | $15,000 |
| 1988 | Kim Mearig (2) | United States | 115.9 | Freida Zamba | United States | 113.5 | $13,500 |
| 1987 | Jodie Cooper | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1986 | Frieda Zamba (2) | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1985 | Frieda Zamba | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1984 | Kim Mearig | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1983 | Helen Lambert | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1982 | Debbie Beacham | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1981 | Linda Davoli | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1980 | Margo Oberg (3) | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1979 | Lynne Boyer | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1978 | Margo Oberg (2) | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1977 | Margo Oberg | United States | - | - | | - | - |
| 1976 | Gail Couper (10) | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1975 | Gail Couper (9) | Australia | - | - | | - | $200 |
| 1974 | Gail Couper (8) | Australia | - | Judy Trim | Australia | - | - |
| 1973 | Not held | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1972 | Gail Couper (7) | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1971 | Gail Couper (6) | Australia | - | Judy Trim | Australia | - | - |
| 1970 | Gail Couper (5) | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1969 | Vivien Campbell | Australia | - | Phyllis O'Donnell | Australia | - | - |
| 1968 | Gail Couper (4) | Australia | - | Vivien Campbell | Australia | - | - |
| 1967 | Gail Couper (3) | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1966 | Gail Couper (2) | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1965 | Not held | - | | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 | Gail Couper | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1963 | Not held | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
| 1962 | Not held | Australia | - | - | | - | - |
[8]
French
Deutsch
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2024
Cole Houshmand (Men) 
Mick Fanning,
