Latest news with #BellsBeach
ABC News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
World Surf League 2026 schedule announced with three Australian venues
The 50th year of professional surfing will launch with three events in Australia, beginning with Victoria's Bells Beach in a revamped World Surf League season. The format has been updated to increase the number of women riders, remove non-elimination rounds, and end with an enlarged finale at Pipeline in Hawaii. After Bells Beach, at the start of April, the 2026 season will move to Margaret River in Western Australia, then, in May, to Snapper Rocks in Queensland. The circuit then goes overseas, taking in El Salvador, Brazil, South Africa, Tahiti, Fiji, California, Abu Dhabi and Portugal before the 12th and final event in Hawaii in December. There, the full field will compete, with those eliminated after round nine returning. The season will feature 36 men and 24 women, the latter an increase on this season's 18, with the Tour narrowing to 24 men and 16 women for the post-season events in Abu Dhabi and Portugal. The format for the initial nine regular-season events will feature 32 qualified men, two men's season wildcards, and two men's event wildcards; and 21 qualified women, two women's season wildcards, and one women's event wildcard. "These changes reflect our commitment to honouring surfing's legacy while continuing to shape its future as the sport enters its 50th year," Ryan Crosby, chief executive of the WSL, said. "With the updated formats, we'll see higher stakes from day one, with every heat carrying real consequence throughout the season. Combined with iconic locations, the expanded women's field, and Pipeline as the pinnacle, we're building a Tour that better serves our athletes and fans, and leads the sport into its next chapter." The 2025 season has completed 10 of the 12 rounds in the championship. Gosford's Molly Picklum leads the women's series after one first and two seconds in the last three rounds. Queensland's Isabella Nichols is fourth and two-time world champion Tyler Wright is seventh. Brazil's Yago Dora leads the men's event, with Queenslander Ethan Ewing and Margaret River's Jack Robinson the best-placed Australians in fifth and eighth, respectively. The next round is in Tahiti from August 7 with the WSL Finals in Fiji from August 27. AAP
The Australian
21 hours ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Bells Beach to open expanded 2026 World Surf League season
An expanded 2026 World Surf League season will start at the iconic Bells Beach, with more spots on the women's tour part of drastic changes for its 50th year. The mid-season cut has been ditched and a new finals system is set to crown the world champions. Bells Beach will again host the first of three Australian events, with a rejigged order moving Snapper Rocks after Margaret River, which has been the event where the mid-season cut has been made since its inception. The three Australian events will kick off the 12-event season, with nine regular-season stops and two post-season events before a revitalised Pipe Masters that will close the season with a high-stakes, all-inclusive finale. 'These changes reflect our commitment to honouring surfing's legacy while continuing to shape its future as the sport enters its 50th year,' WSL chief executive Ryan Crosby said. Jack Robinson celebrates bafter winning the final at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Picture: Cait Miers/World Surf League) 'With the updated formats, we'll see higher stakes from day one, with every heat carrying real consequence throughout the season. Combined with iconic locations, the expanded women's field, and Pipeline as the pinnacle, we're building a tour that better serves our athletes and fans and leads the sport into its next chapter.' As well as the schedule changes, with the WSL covering nine countries across nine months, the majority of the season will feature 36 men and 24 women. Then the tour will narrow to 24 men and 16 women after the ninth event at Lower Trestles in the US for two post-season events in Abu Dhabi and Portugal. Each surfer's best seven of nine results from the regular season will count towards their qualification for the post-season, while the final season rankings, and ultimately the world titles, will be determined by a surfer's best nine of 12 results. The cumulative full-season rankings that will determine the world champions will be heightened by the season closer at Pipeline, where the full 2026 men's and women's Championship Tour fields from the start of the season will all compete. That's a major shift from the top five who will contest a single day, winner-take-all event this year at Teahupo'o for the world title. Australian star Molly Picklum is currently the women's world No.1, with Ethan Ewing the highest-ranked Aussie male, at number five. Australia's Molly Picklum is world No.1 Picture: Thiago Diz/World Surf League 2026 Championship Tour schedule Stop No. 1 - Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia: April 1 - 11 Stop No. 2 - Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia: April 17 - 27 Stop No. 3 - Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia: May 2 - 12 Stop No. 4 - Punta Roca, El Salvador: May 28 - June 7 Stop No. 5 - Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: June 12 - 20 Stop No. 6 - Jeffreys Bay, South Africa: July 10 - 20 Stop No. 7 - Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia: August 8 - 18 Stop No. 8 - Cloudbreak, Fiji: August 25 - September 4 Stop No. 9 - Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif., USA: September 11 - 20* Stop No. 10 - Surf Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE: October 14 - 18** Stop No. 11 - Peniche, Portugal: October 22 - November 1 Stop No. 12 - Banzai Pipeline, Hawaiʻi, USA: December 8 - 20*** *Last regular-season event **Start of postseason, reduced field **Full CT fields rejoin postseason surfers to compete for Pipe Masters Titles
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
World Surf League season will open at Bells Beach in 2026 with huge changes to the finals format
An expanded 2026 World Surf League season will start at the iconic Bells Beach, with more spots on the women's tour part of drastic changes for its 50th year. The mid-season cut has been ditched and a new finals system is set to crown the world champions. Bells Beach will again host the first of three Australian events, with a rejigged order moving Snapper Rocks after Margaret River, which has been the event where the mid-season cut has been made since its inception. The three Australian events will kick off the 12-event season, with nine regular-season stops and two post-season events before a revitalised Pipe Masters that will close the season with a high-stakes, all-inclusive finale. 'These changes reflect our commitment to honouring surfing's legacy while continuing to shape its future as the sport enters its 50th year,' WSL chief executive Ryan Crosby said. 'With the updated formats, we'll see higher stakes from day one, with every heat carrying real consequence throughout the season. Combined with iconic locations, the expanded women's field, and Pipeline as the pinnacle, we're building a tour that better serves our athletes and fans and leads the sport into its next chapter.' As well as the schedule changes, with the WSL covering nine countries across nine months, the majority of the season will feature 36 men and 24 women. Then the tour will narrow to 24 men and 16 women after the ninth event at Lower Trestles in the US for two post-season events in Abu Dhabi and Portugal. Each surfer's best seven of nine results from the regular season will count towards their qualification for the post-season, while the final season rankings, and ultimately the world titles, will be determined by a surfer's best nine of 12 results. The cumulative full-season rankings that will determine the world champions will be heightened by the season closer at Pipeline, where the full 2026 men's and women's Championship Tour fields from the start of the season will all compete. That's a major shift from the top five who will contest a single day, winner-take-all event this year at Teahupo'o for the world title. Australian star Molly Picklum is currently the women's world No.1, with Ethan Ewing the highest-ranked Aussie male, at number five. 2026 Championship Tour schedule Stop No. 1 - Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia: April 1 - 11 Stop No. 2 - Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia: April 17 - 27 Stop No. 3 - Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia: May 2 - 12 Stop No. 4 - Punta Roca, El Salvador: May 28 - June 7 Stop No. 5 - Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: June 12 - 20 Stop No. 6 - Jeffreys Bay, South Africa: July 10 - 20 Stop No. 7 - Teahupo'o, Tahiti, French Polynesia: August 8 - 18 Stop No. 8 - Cloudbreak, Fiji: August 25 - September 4 Stop No. 9 - Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif., USA: September 11 - 20* Stop No. 10 - Surf Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE: October 14 - 18** Stop No. 11 - Peniche, Portugal: October 22 - November 1 Stop No. 12 - Banzai Pipeline, Hawaiʻi, USA: December 8 - 20*** *Last regular-season event **Start of postseason, reduced field
The South African
6 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Updated 2025 world surf rankings after Open J-Bay
These are the updated world surf rankings after J-Bay. South Africa's Jordy Smith drops one position to number two, losing the coveted yellow jersey to Brazil's Yago Dora. However, with one event to go in the toturous barrels of Tahiti before the WSL Finals, there's a silver lining for our Big Bru . Everyone was ecstatic to see Smith reach number one on the world surf rankings in 2025. However, after assuming the yellow jersey in Margaret River, it's plain to see that results have not fallen the big South African's way. Now, freed up from the expectation of surfing in yellow, the 38-year-old tour veteran is focussing only on the job at hand in Tahiti. No matter the colour of his jersey, Jordy Smith is laser focussed on securing a Final Five berth to surf for a world title. Image: File Heading into the last stop of the regular season at Teahupo'o, Tahiti, the updated world surf rankings look like so: RANK SURFER POINTS 1. Yago Dora (BRA) 51 430 2. Jordy Smith (RSA) 47 515 3. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 44 455 4. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 42 675 5. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 41 885 South Africa's Jordy Smith carves a sharp line on a Jeffrey's Bay wall. Unfortunately, he would be denied a Quarter Final appearance. Image: Anton Wannenberg South African Jordy Smith's results in 2025 before assuming the yellow jersey on the world surf rankings were: Lexus Pipe Pro (HAW) – 17th Surf Abu Dhabi Pro (UAE) – 9th Rip Curl Pro Portugal (PRO) – 9th El Salvador Pro (SAL) – 1st Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach (AUS) – 5th Gold Coast Pro (AUS) – 5th Margaret River Pro, WA (AUS) – 1st A fantastic run of form, bookended by wins in El Salvador and Western Australia, garnered Smith a brand-new GWM 300 Tank as the grand prize for scoring the most points on the GWM 'Aussie Treble' leg. However, in the number one jersey, his results have been tempered, with surf fans disappointed to see him bow out at his beloved J-Bay before the Quarter Finals: Lexus Trestles Pro (USA) – 9th Rio Pro (BRA) – 5th Open J-Bay (RSA) – 9th Connor O'Leary surfed a 'perfect 10' on the way to his maiden WSL event win in J-Bay. Video: WSL on YouTube A good result at Smith's home break could have well and truly sewn up his entry into the WSL Final Five. However, the surprise from the J-Bay event was the underdog win by goofy footer, Connor O'Leary. The lowly ranked O'Leary surfed like a man possessed. And he took 10 000 points for the event win away from Smith's nearest rivals, ensuring he only slipped one position on the world surf rankings. Every remaining point on the world surf rankings counts. The WSL Finals hosted this year in Cloudbreak, Fiji, follows a man-on-man heat format. Number five surfs number four, the winner takes on number three, and so on … until the low seed matches up against number one. And the higher Jordy Smith is ranked, the less heats he will have to surf, and the better shot at a world title. Tahiti Pro event window opens on Thursday 7 August 2025. WSL Finals in Fiji could run from Wednesday 27 August 2025. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Secluded Bells Beach hideaway with surf check tower hits market
A secluded Bells Beach hideaway owned by a succession of surf and skate industry heavyweights has hit the market on the Surf Coast. Former champion skateboarder and co-founder of Globe International Peter Hill is among those who have left their mark on the 4.13ha bushland sanctuary. He installed a skate ramp alongside the striking three-bedroom house that's topped with a surf check tower. Natural Real Estate, Torquay listing agent Shaun O'Callaghan said the viewing room was 'possibly the best home office on the coast'. But you don't need to venture up there to get a glimpse of the waves – it's also possible to do a surf check from the comfort of the main bedroom. Mr O'Callaghan has set a $5.25m to $5.5m price guide for the property at 225 Jarosite Rd, Bells Beach, which includes a teepee, self-contained studio and a natural amphitheatre that's played host to small concerts. He said it offered an incredible private oasis on the doorstep of the famous Bells Beach surf break, as well quieter Southside beach and the Ironbark Basin nature trail. 'The obvious standout is the location, with the proximity to Bells and the views to the northeast,' he said. 'It's rare you obtain a view of that significance and also remain sheltered and protected from some of the prevailing winds. 'Some properties see the ocean but then others, of course, get the breaking waves and full connection to the surf. 'It's not just a property for surfers but interestingly the historical ownership has always been surfers or people from the surf industry.' He declined to comment on current ownership of the property. Kangaroos are often spotted grazing outside the 1990s house, which is elevated atop repurposed telephone poles. High timber ceilings, extensive glazing and wraparound decks reinforce the connection to nature inside the open-plan living area. Even the spa bath in the main bedroom's ensuite has an ocean view. 'The original owner was a hardcore surfer and also connected to what was on offer there so didn't want to make a statement of the property itself,' Mr O'Callaghan said. 'The architecture is really quite subtle but there's a lot of personality that goes with it, without it being overstated.' He said a large shed included a games room and gym, and there was also scope for buyers to infill under the existing house.
