Good write up FR always keep checking to see when they drop, something to look forward to.
Love the history, Bells is to a Victorian Surfer what the MCG is to AFL.
In regards to low numbers of Vicco surfers in the upper echelons, I once read an article with the thesis its because we don't surf enough low period wind swell to develop fast twitch responses in muscle memory and the article went onto to back that theory up by using Kelly Slater growing up in Floridian low period wind swell beach breaks as per QLD and NSW and Brazilian surfers.
I guess it falls down with the Hawaiians and WA surfers.
From my clouded memory it was a Nick Carroll article.

Spot on with Caroline Marks..... I noticed that she uses up all the rotation at the start of her turns then there is nothing left to finish her turns.

I wonder if the population centres on the Surf Coast are too far away for a frothing grom culture. That and maybe regular swell droughts (especially over recent years).
Agree with the shorter period beachies theory too. Messy beachies build fast adaptable surfers. Hawaii gets lots of sloppy unpredictable surf too. Usually with more power but...

Steve , apply the tradition argument to Wimbledon , how many tennis tournaments are played on grass these days ? and yet Wimbledon is still the most coveted trophy in tennis . Just because you have a comp at premier break doesn't guarantee epic waves - G Land a couple of years back is a good example .
Bells is not the most perfect wave, we all know , and yet being able to watch the best in the world adjust
( Your observation on Italo is a good example ) is part of the attraction .
The storied history of Bells hold great weight in this instant/ insta age , long may it stay ....

Very well observed & written. So well in fact, I’ve been inspired enough to comment. Half your luck Steve.

Wayne? He was a freak. Period. That he emerged from Lorne was just part of the equation. Victorian surfers? Always has been about the waves they ride and the equipment they need to ride them with. So would tend to agree with RockyIsland.

Since my opinion was (indirectly) requested here you go: Bells is a tradition. For what it's worth I actually surfed in 3 of them, so I can attest to the venue for its drama, theatre and setting. Also, there has been some awfully great surfing done in the event over the decades.

The contest has been moved from time to time; down south and then the final Munro won on Vege Island. But owing that Bells, along with the other Australian 'tour' events, is now funded by the local government (I neither know or care about the specifics thereof) the idea of it going anywhere strikes me as unlikely. But to your point, it's archaic. The entire wsl format is.

As far as the surfers you mentioned that were cruelly served an adíos by the judges in subpar conditions, most of those have no business being there to begin with, especially at the expense of a few surfers of true quality whose place they took. So it would appear the qualifying scenario, like the wsl, is also not working.

And if there were ever a surfer of quality who not only deserves to be there but should be handed the injury wildcard (again) it is Boukhiam.

I'll say it and let the haters enter the colliseum ... Caroline Marks' surfing is an eyesore and proof that contests provide winners and world titles, not necessarily a statement of who is truly the best surfer. The 'trying to fix that weird arm movement' says it all. Not even Luke Egan can fix the unfixable. And yes Steve, it's sad to watch people who have put so much into something be shelled out the back but they will survive. Pro surfing may not.

Vicco is too cold for young groms to want to consistently be in the water.

And if you’re not in the water a lot before you’re about 10 years old then it’s too late.

My theory anyway.

Where are you going to go that's a better contest site than Bells (& Winki) ?

The WSL called the day a few days out because it was a full day of contestable surf and everybody got the same opportunity.

Wayne Lynch spent his early teenage years wrangling 8 ft boards around the rocks at Lorne Pt which is an excellent grommy wave and he had the most winningest woman Gail Cooper looking over his shoulder.
Those two things, obsessed gromhood in manageable surf and a pro in the waves with him were key.

Cold crappy weather isn’t particularly grom friendly. On the Gold Coast the groms can be dropped off at the beach in the morning and they can hang out for the rest of the day having multiple surfs.
After one surf in Vicco the kids are probably keen to get home and into a hot shower.

Shattered for Ramsi, such an unlucky injury, the shorbreak is treacherous but I've never seen anyone get badly injured like that, just walking out of the surf. Cruel and violent indeed.
Did he get the score he needed, do we know?

With regard to the Bells comp, I agree that it is outdated and (ironically, given that it is supposed to be the most "soul" comp on the tour) overhyped. It's government $$ keeping it on the tour, and I'm sure the Woz would privately acknowledge that the wave itself is a problem child.

The more I hear the WSL and the surfers spout the company sponsored 'tradition' line, the more it sounds like they're only doing it to justify having it on the tour.

As far as why Vic surfers have not been successful recently, I think it has a lot to do with the waves. We don't have a lot of consistently bangable steep waves. Most waves here are kind of bottom heavy, even the ones that barrel. It's hard to put in words.

Whenever I have travelled up the east coast I find the waves are just more 'hittable'. When I get home, the effect lasts for a few surfs where I am confident enough to whack everything that moves, but eventually I revert to the mean. It seems to be a confidence / repetition thing.

I think for a young Vic to break through they would need to grow up in whackable waves from an early age. But then are they really Vic surfers?

Feel sorry for Ramsi, one of my favourites on the tour. Devastating for an athlete at any level, let alone one trying to make a living out of it.

But

Where's he been surfing all his life to make him think he can just stroll out of the water and not worry about what's coming behind him? Never turn your back on the ocean, lad. First thing you should be taught.

Personally love the event and don't agree with the criticism. Many terrific contests have gone down in very good waves. Hope they keep the Easter tradition for many years to come.

While I agree with the criticisms of the Bells wave, I reckon if you asked most pros which 2 trophies they would most like to see on their mantelpiece, it would be

1. Pipe Pro
2. The Bell

If they pushed the event into May there would be a much better chance of getting good waves but the Rip Curl shop would do way less turnover and at the end of the day someone has to pay the bills.

Yep, while not the most performance wave I still enjoy everything there is and that goes on around the Bells event.

Waves are fat, slow, lully and somewhat boring compared to the east coast. Even on shit days on the east coast you can find a lip or two to belt. The east coast is much more dynamic from a swell perspective with rideable waves coming from North to South and lots of options to hide from the wind. Then Nick Carroll wrote that young rippers should be catching 100 waves a day. That's a possibility nearly every day on the east coast if you are a masochist and don't care about wave quality. But speaking of quality; between Noosa and Eden you can find some of the best points, reefs, beachies, breakwalls, novelty wave, big waves whatever. Take a good day at the Super bank and compare it to the very best day at winkipop. It's not even close for mine and the waves keep on coming up on the GC!

And of course, the weather! I was surfing in a 3/2 in summer in vicco! You'd have to be keen to grind out for a future that doesn't exist.

Outside of the island and Portland there's also way more days where it's unsurfable and even if you're keen and on the surf coast for example and it's not working, MP and Johanna are a fair way away and not at all guaranteed to be any good. On the east coast if you live near a good headland, you're could be surfing nearly everyday (if you're a masochist!)

Jeez, perhaps I'm an outlier but I quite like the Bells event.

Sure, when it's not happening it's hardly a great wave, but in its defence it holds an onshore better than most other spots on the tour.

And when it's six to eight or maybe ten feet, then I reckon it comes into its own as a competition wave.

So if we all acknowledge for a moment that perfect surf isn't guaranteed anywhere in the world at any time of the year - and therefore accept that ordinary conditions are possible at every event - I'm happy to have Bells on the tour calendar.

In terms of Vicco success, I think it needs to be adjusted for the total participation in the sport. I would guess that even though WA is much smaller population wise, it's comparable or better in terms of number of surfers.

Also didn't Vic do ok in the recent boardrider comps?

As a Vic surfer I reckon it’s a great event. Big crowd down there on Friday (all comers too - not just local surf crew), was able to get a couple of surfs in and a good atmosphere.

Agree that it can be a fickle beast and also a bit dull if it’s small, but I reckon there’s a place for it on the tour.

Great spectacle when it’s big and offshore.

I know I am the exception, but I really like the Bells comp. I enjoy the good goofy footers doing stylish bottom turns and managing to time the lip hitting well (which most surfers struggle to do).

Great writeup as usual and hard to argue with any of it. Caz Marks looked terrible I'm sad to say and such a contrast to the Tub where I thought her surfing was a standout. Is it me or can we draw some comparisons in style between Tyler and BSJ while we're at it?

I'm in the pro-Bells camp. I reckon Bells is one of those waves that can really amplify a surfers flaws and I love watching pro's in tricky onshore Bells if it's head high or bigger, moreso than Punta Roca or Portugal.

I watched a few heats of 'unpretty, scrappy and junky' Bells and found it reasonably entertaining. I watched about 30 seconds of the comp in the tub and nearly shed a tear for what surfing has become. If you start to take away places like Bells and Marg's that can have a bit more chunk in the custard then you risk having a World Champ with no ticker.......and we all know how bad that looks.

Ramzi! wtf.

shame Huxtable didn't take off on that wave Super Mario tried to snake him on with the angled paddle... probably would have been an interference. next time.

Bells is a great comp wave, provides equal scoring opportunity, just needs decent sized swell (like day 2) and can even handle the onshore.

but i reckon they can tell the surfers not to bother bunny hopping their way to the shore though. it hasn't been worth it since Nicky Wood's shorey floaters.

Lot of people putting down bells at least its running surfers doing huge turns last 2 comps wsl they tried to run at snapper ended up at different venues and got the event canned because it's went to NSW

Being from down this way I am a fan of the Bells contest. Very few other venues offer spectators the viewing options of the action. The wave itself can be criticized, but when it's on it is a great spectacle. Unfortunately, the last 5years or so have been below average on the Surf Coast generally due to La Ninas etc. The previous 50 or more years have been remarkably consistent (not every year of course) producing many great days of surfing during the contest window. Tradition must count for something. I remember when I was young looking forward to the Bells contest stories and photos in Tracks and Surfing World when they were the main source of surfing info. It wasn't just about the waves, but the personalities and what they got up to as well. Am I being overly nostalgic? Yeah, probably.

Nup. Keep Bells. It's more than a surf contest, it represents a part of surf culture and Aussie culture.
The wave has more push than a standard point which accentuates the lines of good rail surfing and as you noted above, guys like Italo and Jackson Bunch bring a whole new approach to how to surf Bells that will continue to evolve as the sport does (if it is in fact evolving...i have my doubts but that's another topic).
Bells can never go anywhere in my opinion. For all it's obvious flaws, it has way more positives, and when the swells do stack up into the Bowl, it makes it all the more exciting to watch.

I thought the waves were fun and interesting for a comp, and so much more consistent than El Sal. Hope we get to see a proper day, it really does make some demands of the pros.

As for Caz Marks, it seems like her head fell apart a few years ago, and now it's her surfing. Just something really weird about her. Yet somehow she wins world titles.

I’m a Bells fan also. Something intriguing about the spot. The anticipation of seeing those long lines march in and wondering what kind of wave a surfer is going to get.

I’m happy they knocked out those pointless, endless rounds in mush.

On points above regarding the consumer bagging out most waves on tour……..maybe it isn’t the waves, it’s just the sport and how they run it in general? Maybe pro surfing sucks?

Sitting in the stand watching John John at 6ft bowl… a highlight to remember. Some epic heats over the years. Definitely I’m nostalgic but Bells is a nod to the grittier surf realties that resonate with huge populations of surfers used to windy, cold and chunky waves. It gets me stoked to see the pros lean into the bowl. Hope it stays - why shouldn’t it? Power surfing never gets old.

it tickles the nipples to think of it going to CS for a year with great controversy, then Bells delivering stonking walls for the CS window. Your article got some great discussion happening above, Steve.

worth revisiting Ding Alley from Bells 12 month ago (homer's head/natural amphitheatre edition)
https://www.swellnet.com/news/ding-alley/2024/03/19/bells-easter-primer
I'd never seen the first newspaper advert for Bells, haha, how's the phone number?:
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rip-curl-s-founding-fathers-bells-royalty-s...

Been surfing down this coast for a long time and just feel since 2020 things have not been the same for whatever reason.

However, if you do get rid of Bells, what are the other options? Seems most comps struggle to get a consistent run of waves nowadays.

Marinetti, I won't say where he was ten years later. Might have been better to quote Malevich on the same.

Wheres all the Vicco's ?

Having grown up in Vic i also spent 15 years on the northern rivers. my observations is we just don't have the surfing population. And as most have stated the waves don't really lend themselves to quick high intensity 30 minute sessions. When i lived up north going for a quick 30 min surf is an easy thing to do, boardies wax jog down to the water and surf! Down south its find somewhere suit up, walk down 120 stairs, clamber over some rocks ,time your paddle out and hope you get a few then do the same routine in reverse! .... I believe a lot of southern folks wait for the offshore days and use surf time in bigger chunks rather than short sessions at the closest beachie. I am generalising a little but these are just my observations. If you happen to work for RC or Pataguccci you'll definetly be getting those extended lunchie's .You only have to look at board stores and turn over to see the lack of surfing folk. Get off the plane at Cooly and you have your choice of about 3000 boards , surfboard empire , board lab , kirra surf ,Onboard store, and a host of very talented local shapers. Get off the plane at Tulla and we have Zacs in Melbourne and i believe another store in Praharan (surf 3181??)
Down the coast we have all the usual big brands at strapper RC etc but the numbers wouldn't even be close to that up north. You can't even get a Mark Richards board down here !!

There's also the footy ! Xavier's a pretty handy player for the Lorne dolphins when he's not demolishing lips.

Bell's is a natural amphitheatre and a great venue for surfing competitions - at the QS level.

What was considered a testing wave for advanced surfers in 1964 is an archaic mushburger now and if the entire rationale for the event is for Easter holiday crowds to shop and spend in Torquay, a week-long surfing, bands and skateboarding The Rip Curl Bell's Beach Easter Surf Carnival would be a better use of the venue.

The wave is fat, slow, mushy and far beneath the level of the top professional competitors on the WSL tour other than the odd day when it is overhead and offshore.

lol things like Bells are what holds this flaky industry together and are the foundation on which your career sits. but yeh lets get rid of it because its trendy to say that right now. such arrogance. let Caroline Marks off lightly today, feeling OK?

None of the tour interests me anymore. I just surf every day there's waves and don't follow anything happening in the industry or commercial side of things.

Why so few Vic competitive surfers?
1. It takes serious parental time to expose young children to a legit surfing life.
2. Few Vic beaches are low risk of drowning for young kids - they're typically rippy, changing by the hour and cold. In my case a non surfing Mum, who grew up away from ocean in Melb, was never confident/prepared to take kids to beach without me. This seriously cuts down options for kids getting their reps in.
3. Conditions are changeable for beginners - other than Jan/Feb, if you find good waves for your child one day, go there the next and its likely to be unsuitable. Unless you're a surfing parent, its hard to navigate. If you do surf, you have to eschew good waves for many years supervising your kids in brown water gurgle.
4. Unless you live in a handful of select towns with limited employment opportunities, kids and their parents have to be prepared to travel long distances and put up with weather extremes. It takes a lot of resilience.
5. Its unlikely kids will take it up because their friends do it. its typically a parental driven activity.
6. Once your kids hit 14/15 and want to hang with their friends, unless you live in said select towns, chances are their friends wont surf, days in the surf drop away and willingness to put in the time dwindles - particularly given power of surf is typically strong and kids get demoralised if all they do is get thrashed all day.
7. If your kids make it through this and still surf, they've had a surfing life of travel, adapting to different spots and picking the eye's out of conditions and once they get their licence they want to sample waves near and far. Sticking to a boardriders club at local beach just isn't a priority for many so we are less tapped into competitive surfing, coaching and the like.
8. For those of us that stick to it, we're pretty stoked to hear comments like Vic waves are "fat, slow, lully and boring" and that we lack access to quality waves. It keeps our secluded lineups just the way we like them when they are cooking, and that's rare in todays world.

I think dissing the venue for poor surf is a bit much. We had a fantastic run of surf less than 3 weeks ago, there's been the odd day since then. That's the nature of surf comps and locking dates for a fixed waiting period. It's always gunna be a gamble.

swellnet.com/reports/forecaster-notes/victoria/2025/04/07/great-week-surf-ahead

It’s a great story about Kelly Slater and Bells. He doesn’t like the wave much. He likes barreling waves. But still, being Kelly Slater, he has won there 4 times. He said he was in a Torquay café and there was a photo on the wall of Wayne Lynch bottom turning at Bells. He noticed that Wayne was turning 3/4 down the face of the wave. He thought, ah-ha, that’s how you do it and avoid the dead water. He adjusted his approach.

Speed, Power,Flow......
A fortunet few find it out there, and when they do, it's a thing to behold.

Could you be any more disrespectful to the people who hold this event year after year and give it unwavering, 100% support?
The reason it's been going for 62 odd years is because of the hard work, dedication, commitment and passion that the local community and businesses put to holding the comp, rain, hail or shine, shit waves or epic waves.
Fair dinkum Steve, pull your head out of your fucking ass and shove your precious literature up there.

Arse Patrice, in Australia it's arse.

Meanwhile sorfers just want to ride good waves on fantastic plastic machines

"Otherwise, the aforementioned Al Jnr, Jake Marshall, Ethan Ewing, Jordy Smith, all took the bikkies for heat wins."

Just check out what they did on these wonky waves and you'll see why average Bells is better than most sites. Jake Marshall and Al Cleland were amazing watching live, the others I had to watch on replay.

For me, I would set the formula as follows, cognisant that Craig and others were surprised that they called it on on Wednesday.

- First heats, run them in any reasonable size that might be a bit crappy if you have 2 or 3 days of good surf beyond that
- Let them work hard in less than perfect conditions where 36 surfers get whittled down to, umm..., 32.
- Reserve the 2 or 3 better days in the forecast for the 32 down to 16 to 8 to 4 to 2.
- Make them surf less than ideal conditions early so that people who have never surfed anywhere but a tub can't get past a 33rd result.
- Hold back the best days, and clear the dross so that the best performing surfers have the best conditions.

There have been a few comps, Pipe comes to mind in recent years, where the best waves just eliminated a few surfers and the quarters, semis and finals were held in sub-optimal. It should be the other way around, wherever possible.

Recognising that nature has its own timetable, but forecasting weather these days has never been better. Keep the cream for the best wherever possible.

I'd keep Bells. At its best, it's hard to beat. At its worst, as long as it's 4' or better, it's a canvas.

Go draw your lines.

"So what's the biggest waves? Waimea? No. Bells Beach, Australia."
"It will be next year. A storm comes out of Antarctica, tearing up the Pacific, and it sends a huge swell north 2,000 miles. And when it hits Bells Beach, it'll turn into the biggest surf this planet has ever seen."

Possibly the reason we don’t get perfect Bells these days for comps is that we don’t get the swells which hit it via the Pacific.

I woke this morning remembering times in the past when the family had to properly rug up for the dawn service. This has not been the case the last couple of years.

What’s it like in Torquay? I can remember crew saying as long as it’s cold Bells will be on.

Feels like every half decent surf kid and their family move to northern nsw or qld to be around better waves, warmer climate, better surfers, more exposure etc be it from vicco or southern nsw. Kind of like in So Cal…..parents from past generations weren’t pushing the kids as much as today, the kids were more self motivated…less distractions of modern times.. social media etc

Marinetti -> Abu Dhabi wave pool event

I don't like the comp cos it shuts the beach down and you cant surf there

This is such a disappointing write up and discussion. Easy to pot Bells if the conditions are not pristine. When I was a young bloke Bell's bashing was not done sitting behind a bloody keyboard in your loungeroom it was done on a six foot face in the bowl or a speed run at Winki. Surfing is harder down south, the cold water and long winters but that's how we love it down here. All these muppets from further up north bashing a sacred place like Bells only make your judgements based on what they see once a year on their computer screens, and if the weather doesn't come to the party for you out you come on your keyboards to sink the boots in to what is considered home to many of us down here. Poor bloody form, but sadly oh so predictable.

I like Bells and love that it's part of the tour. Enjoy how surfers have to adapt to fatter waves and there's nowhere to hide in point break conditions if your technique isn't on. In my world a whole variety of waves can make up a tour to get a world champ not just heavy water waves. I'd even like a Sydney venue as a CT stop again or LA to see who can grovel too, I like the US open as an event too for what it is