Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy 2026 – Wrap-Up So Far (as of April 9, Day 5)

The 2026 WSL Championship Tour kicked off at the iconic Bells Beach/Winkipop (Victoria, Australia) from April 1–11. After a mix of building swells, lay days, and high-drama heats across the Bowl and Winkipop, the event has powered through the early rounds. Women's Round 2 is complete, Men's Round 3 has just wrapped, and the Quarterfinalists (Top 8 men + 8 women) are now locked in. Competition is on standby with the next call for April 10 at 7:45 AM AEST — swell is building for a solid finish in the event window.

Key Results & Highlights

Men's Side (R3 just completed):

• Massive Brazilian firepower and veteran comebacks defined the day.
• Gabriel Medina (3x World Champ, strong CT return) overpowered fellow World Champ Italo Ferreira in a heavyweight “El Monstro” clash.
• Miguel Pupo staged a ridiculous late comeback against local hope George Pittar (AUS) — two excellent backhand scores turned the heat in the dying minutes.
• Yago Dora (reigning World Champ) delivered backhand clinics and advanced cleanly.
• Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) upset 2x World Champ Filipe Toledo in a back-and-forth battle, posting an 8.50.
• Barron Mamiya knocked out event favourite Jordy Smith.
• Quarter finals are:
• M. Pupo v B. Mamiya.  
• K Igarashi v G Colapinto.
• Y. Dora v L. Fioravanti.
• G. Medina v S. Pupo

Women's Side (R2 completed):

• Isabella Nichols (defending 2025 Bells champ, AUS) is the story — she took out 5x World Champ and 3x Bells winner Carissa Moore in the Boost Mobile Heat of the Day. A huge statement if she’s chasing back-to-back Bells titles.
• Caity Simmers (2024 World Champ) stamped her authority and advanced strongly in her CT return.
• Luana Silva (BRA) dropped a 15.23 total (searing frontside gouges) to eliminate Tyler Wright.
• Lakey Peterson advanced past rookie Erin Brooks; Alyssa Spencer posted a strong 14.00 total in her heat.

Day 5 at Winkipop was pure “pedal-to-the-metal” action — non-stop thrills, stunners, and shockwaves from the first heat to the last. WSL called it an “insatiable” spectacle with “iconic duels” that locked in the quarters.

The Brazilian Storm has been unstoppable in the headlines, but the story has also been big-name World Champ exits (Toledo, Ferreira, Moore,) Veterans like Medina, Fioravanti, and Pupo are reminding everyone why Bells rewards experience and backhand power.

Locals had mixed results — Pittar came close but fell to Pupo’s comeback, while Nichols is flying the Aussie flag strongly into the quarters.

Conditions have been contestable but tricky so far (lumpy Bowl to cleaner Winkipop); the forecast is for the swell to ramp up nicely for the business end, promising classic Bells power and drama.

Quarterfinals are stacked and set for an absolute blockbuster once the action continues.