Latest news with #BellsBeach
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
South African veteran Jordy Smith and new world No.1 Gabriela Bryan take Margaret River Pro titles as Aussie Isabella Nicholls wins new car
The final two events on the WTC Australian swing failed to deliver a local winner after South African veteran Jordy Smith and new world No.1 Gabriela Bryan took out the men's and women's events at Margaret River. But Bells Beach champ Isabella Nichols flew the Aussie flag after taking out the Aussie Treble, which was awarded to the best surfer over the three Australian events, including Bells and the Gold Coast Pro. Bryan proved a destroyer of local hopes on her way to her second title of the year, ending Sally Fitzgibbons' season on Monday before the 23-year-old Hawaiian defended the title she won last year by taking down reigning world champ Caitlin Simmers in a dominant final display. 'I'm honestly speechless, I don't know what to think,' Bryan said after her win. 'I've just been surfing how I want to surf and I just can't believe it.' Smith, in his 18th season on tour, then scorched enigmatic American star Griffin Colapinto to secure only his eighth tour win, but his second in 2025, after ending an eight-year drought in El Salvador. He'll take the No.1 ranking to the next event in California next month. There were no Aussies in either final in Western Australia, the first time in the three Australian events. Nichols and Jack Robinson won at Bells, while Fitzgibbons and comeback star Julian Wilson lost finals on the Gold Coast. The effort of Nichols to secure one title, while making quarter-finals on the Gold Coast and again at Margaret River, helped secure her fourth spot on the world rankings and the Aussie Treble, which came with a new car. Nichols, Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright were the only Australian women to make the mid-season cut and will contest the rest of the season in their bid for the world title. Ethan Ewing, Robinson and Joel Vaughan made the men's cut, with four more events before the finals in Fiji in August.
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Jack Robinson the man to beat at Margaret River Pro
He was a shock early exit at the Gold Coast Pro, but Australian surfer Jack Robinson is feeling plenty of love and lapping up the hometown comforts ahead of his Margaret River Pro title defence. Robinson was feeling on top of the world last month after claiming the Bells Beach title for the first time. But that euphoria was short lived, with Robinson bombing out in the second round at Burleigh Heads in a result that tumbled him to seventh in the rankings. Robinson is keen to rebound strongly from that result, and will be one of the hot favourites at his local break of Margaret River. The 27-year-old has been an unstoppable force there in recent years, winning in 2022 and 2024, with only a knee injury preventing him from strutting his stuff in 2023. Robinson beat three-time world champion John John Florence in both the 2022 and 2024 finals of the Margaret River Pro. Given Florence has stepped away from the Championship Tour in 2025, Robinson has one less obstacle to overcome in his bid for a third Margaret River crown. "It's nice to be in my bed and back home," Robinson said ahead of the opening of the competition window on Saturday. "I am feeling all the love and support when I get back, it's really great to be here. "This is where it all started for me. John (Florence) is super inspiring. "He kind of set the benchmark for that time, and I'm a bit younger than John, so I always was really inspired, and I just wanted to beat him, so it was cool to do that. "I'm just happy to be here, not really thinking too much about the rankings. Everyone's really close together, so, that'll sort itself out at the end of the year." There will be plenty at stake in Margaret River given it's the final chance for surfers to make sure they survive the mid-season cut. Australians Liam O'Brien and George Pittar currently sit marginally outside the cut on the men's side. Fitzgibbons wound back the clock by reaching the Gold Coast Pro final. Although that result kept her in 15th place overall, she has closed the gap significantly on her rivals, and a quarter-final appearance in WA might be enough for her to make the cut. Last year's Margaret River Pro champion, Gabriela Bryan, tops the women's leaderboard, equal on points with defending world champion Caitlin Simmers. Australians Molly Picklum, Isabella Nichols and Tyler Wright occupy the next three places. He was a shock early exit at the Gold Coast Pro, but Australian surfer Jack Robinson is feeling plenty of love and lapping up the hometown comforts ahead of his Margaret River Pro title defence. Robinson was feeling on top of the world last month after claiming the Bells Beach title for the first time. But that euphoria was short lived, with Robinson bombing out in the second round at Burleigh Heads in a result that tumbled him to seventh in the rankings. Robinson is keen to rebound strongly from that result, and will be one of the hot favourites at his local break of Margaret River. The 27-year-old has been an unstoppable force there in recent years, winning in 2022 and 2024, with only a knee injury preventing him from strutting his stuff in 2023. Robinson beat three-time world champion John John Florence in both the 2022 and 2024 finals of the Margaret River Pro. Given Florence has stepped away from the Championship Tour in 2025, Robinson has one less obstacle to overcome in his bid for a third Margaret River crown. "It's nice to be in my bed and back home," Robinson said ahead of the opening of the competition window on Saturday. "I am feeling all the love and support when I get back, it's really great to be here. "This is where it all started for me. John (Florence) is super inspiring. "He kind of set the benchmark for that time, and I'm a bit younger than John, so I always was really inspired, and I just wanted to beat him, so it was cool to do that. "I'm just happy to be here, not really thinking too much about the rankings. Everyone's really close together, so, that'll sort itself out at the end of the year." There will be plenty at stake in Margaret River given it's the final chance for surfers to make sure they survive the mid-season cut. Australians Liam O'Brien and George Pittar currently sit marginally outside the cut on the men's side. Fitzgibbons wound back the clock by reaching the Gold Coast Pro final. Although that result kept her in 15th place overall, she has closed the gap significantly on her rivals, and a quarter-final appearance in WA might be enough for her to make the cut. Last year's Margaret River Pro champion, Gabriela Bryan, tops the women's leaderboard, equal on points with defending world champion Caitlin Simmers. Australians Molly Picklum, Isabella Nichols and Tyler Wright occupy the next three places. He was a shock early exit at the Gold Coast Pro, but Australian surfer Jack Robinson is feeling plenty of love and lapping up the hometown comforts ahead of his Margaret River Pro title defence. Robinson was feeling on top of the world last month after claiming the Bells Beach title for the first time. But that euphoria was short lived, with Robinson bombing out in the second round at Burleigh Heads in a result that tumbled him to seventh in the rankings. Robinson is keen to rebound strongly from that result, and will be one of the hot favourites at his local break of Margaret River. The 27-year-old has been an unstoppable force there in recent years, winning in 2022 and 2024, with only a knee injury preventing him from strutting his stuff in 2023. Robinson beat three-time world champion John John Florence in both the 2022 and 2024 finals of the Margaret River Pro. Given Florence has stepped away from the Championship Tour in 2025, Robinson has one less obstacle to overcome in his bid for a third Margaret River crown. "It's nice to be in my bed and back home," Robinson said ahead of the opening of the competition window on Saturday. "I am feeling all the love and support when I get back, it's really great to be here. "This is where it all started for me. John (Florence) is super inspiring. "He kind of set the benchmark for that time, and I'm a bit younger than John, so I always was really inspired, and I just wanted to beat him, so it was cool to do that. "I'm just happy to be here, not really thinking too much about the rankings. Everyone's really close together, so, that'll sort itself out at the end of the year." There will be plenty at stake in Margaret River given it's the final chance for surfers to make sure they survive the mid-season cut. Australians Liam O'Brien and George Pittar currently sit marginally outside the cut on the men's side. Fitzgibbons wound back the clock by reaching the Gold Coast Pro final. Although that result kept her in 15th place overall, she has closed the gap significantly on her rivals, and a quarter-final appearance in WA might be enough for her to make the cut. Last year's Margaret River Pro champion, Gabriela Bryan, tops the women's leaderboard, equal on points with defending world champion Caitlin Simmers. Australians Molly Picklum, Isabella Nichols and Tyler Wright occupy the next three places.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Callinan no-show, will be back after pre-Burleigh baby
The waves arrived but so did Ryan Callinan's newborn, the pre-tournament delivery forcing the Australian to miss his opening-round Gold Coast Pro heat. Callinan's wife gave birth on Friday night, meaning the Newcastle product was a no-show when the Championship Tour returned to the Gold Coast for the first time since 2019 on Saturday morning. He will still feature though, set to return for the sudden-death second round that will also include high-profile compatriots Jack Robinson and Julian Wilson. Bells Beach champion and No.3-ranked Robinson (9.13 points) couldn't get going in his heat against Alan Cleland (10.27) and Callum Robson (13.26). Wilson (14.07), back at CT level for the first time since his 2019 retirement after winning qualifying on Friday, was shot down in a high-scoring heat by No.1-ranked Italo Ferreira (16.03) and Burleigh Heads local Liam O'Brien (15.77). Australian No.2 Ethan Ewing won his heat and was encouraged by what he saw from the building Burleigh swell after a season stunted by below-par conditions. Jordan Lawler will also surf in a sudden-death second-round heat, while Joel Vaughan is yet to enter the water. Stephanie Gilmore, an eight-time world champion and six-time event winner, will compete for the first time since August 2023 as a wildcard. There are five other Australian women in the field, including Bells Beach champion Isabella Nichols. The Gold Coast stop was shifted from the traditional Snapper Rocks location due to erosion created by Cyclone Alfred in March.
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Callinan no-show, will be back after pre-Burleigh baby
The waves arrived but so did Ryan Callinan's newborn, the pre-tournament delivery forcing the Australian to miss his opening-round Gold Coast Pro heat. Callinan's wife gave birth on Friday night, meaning the Newcastle product was a no-show when the Championship Tour returned to the Gold Coast for the first time since 2019 on Saturday morning. He will still feature though, set to return for the sudden-death second round that will also include high-profile compatriots Jack Robinson and Julian Wilson. Bells Beach champion and No.3-ranked Robinson (9.13 points) couldn't get going in his heat against Alan Cleland (10.27) and Callum Robson (13.26). Wilson (14.07), back at CT level for the first time since his 2019 retirement after winning qualifying on Friday, was shot down in a high-scoring heat by No.1-ranked Italo Ferreira (16.03) and Burleigh Heads local Liam O'Brien (15.77). Australian No.2 Ethan Ewing won his heat and was encouraged by what he saw from the building Burleigh swell after a season stunted by below-par conditions. Jordan Lawler will also surf in a sudden-death second-round heat, while Joel Vaughan is yet to enter the water. Stephanie Gilmore, an eight-time world champion and six-time event winner, will compete for the first time since August 2023 as a wildcard. There are five other Australian women in the field, including Bells Beach champion Isabella Nichols. The Gold Coast stop was shifted from the traditional Snapper Rocks location due to erosion created by Cyclone Alfred in March.
Sydney Morning Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
A Hollywood stunt double in high school, Izzy's Bells triumph the tale of a lifetime
Isabella Nichols had her first taste of Hollywood during her final month of high school. She'd happily take another once the whole professional surfing caper winds up. Though she could well be designing wave pools by then. Or still trying to piece together the biggest moment of her career – the Bells Beach triumph that remains a blur of nerves, instinctive surfing and original Broncos jerseys. 'Honestly, I can't remember too much of it,' Nichols said with a laugh down the line having just arrived home on the Gold Coast with surfing's most iconic trophy – the big bell – in her keeping. 'It hasn't sunk in because it's still such a blur. To have my parents [Ross and Elizabeth] down there, and my dad chairing me up the beach in his Broncos jersey – that was my greatest win, just because my family was there.' Nichols is the feel-good story of surfing, topping her previous claim to fame as Gossip Girl star Blake Lively's stunt double in the 2016 horror movie The Shallows. Like her breakthrough Bells victory, Nichols can't recall too much of the film either. She's watched it only once in the cinema, given 'it was too weird seeing her face imposed on my body'. And watching that body then get attacked by a monstrous shark. But in almost a decade since picking up the Hollywood cameo on Lord Howe Island as Lively's double, the 27-year-old has a story of her own to tell. Along with the forever-smiling Sally Fitzgibbons, Nichols has been the face of the WSL's controversial mid-season cut, which culls the tour from 16 permanent surfers to 10 each year.
