- 2023-04-12
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SPORTS
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ World Surf League Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: Tyler Wright Goes Back-To-Back & Ethan Ewing Wins
The 4th stop on the World Surf League 2023 Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach took place at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia between April 4 and April 11, 2023.
Two Australians Tyler Wright and Ethan Ewing claimed their first victory of 2023 at Bells Beach.
In Women's Final, 2-time World Champion Tyler Wright competed against Molly Picklum (AUS) in two-to-three-foot waves.
Tyler Wright defeated two World Champions Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and Carissa Moore (HAW) in the Semifinal and Quarterfinal, and advanced to the Final.
While, Molly Picklum took down Isabella Nichols (AUS) and Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) in the Semifinal and Quarterfinal, respectively.
Tyler Wright earned 8.17 and 7.83 points, Picklum showcased 5.83 and 6.17 rides, but it wasn't enough.
Finally, Tyler Wright went back-to-back wins, following the 2022 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
For Tyler Wright, this win was a special one as it marked her brother, Owen Wright's (AUS) final CT event appearance of his career before officially retiring from competitive surfing.
Tyler Wright said, “It took me 12 years to get the first Bell, and this one, it felt different but all the same. It's an absolute honor and a privilege to surf here at Djarrak. It's been amazing to have my full team and support here. It's moments like these that mean the world to me now. To really execute this week the way I wanted to, like I have, I'm really proud.”
She continued, “I feel really at home here, safe and able to open up a lot, and it's lovely to do that. It's been a big week with my bro (Owen Wright) retiring, and it's been really special. He had an amazing career and had obviously very traumatic points through that, so it was really cool to see him finish here.”- In Men's Final, two Australians Ethan Ewing and Ryan Callinan competed.
For Ethan Ewing, this marks his first Final since the 2022 Corona Open J-Bay. While, Ryan Callinan advanced to the Final since 2018 Quiksilver Pro France.
Ethan Ewing earned 6.83 and 7.67, with a total of 14.50 points. But Ryan Callinan struggled to find a score of significance and ended the match with an 11.00.
Ethan Ewing took his second victory of CT, following the 2022 Corona Open J-Bay. Also he made history, winning the Rip Curl Pro Bell Beach on the 40th anniversary of the year his late mother, Helen Lambert (AUS) won the event in 1983.
Ethan Ewing said, “This is far-out, it's been such a crazy week and this event is the one I wanted to win the most. It's such a special thing, I've been thinking about it since I've been on Tour. It's been a huge goal of mine and in honor of her [his late mother, Helen Lambert], I wanted to do her proud. I've had her trophy next to my bed since I can remember and I've dreamt of having my name on the stairs with her. Tell your mum you love them because you never know what life throws at you.”
He continued, “It feels pretty good. I've had a slow start this year. This event I really found my feet, and I'm really looking forward to all of the events. There's a lot of beautiful places we get to go to and I'm looking forward to all of them.”
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women's Final Results:
F 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 16.00 def. Molly Picklum (AUS) 12.00
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women's Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) 12.83 def. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 12.24
SF 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 15.33 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.66
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women's Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Isabella Nichols (AUS) 12.53 def. Caroline Marks (USA) 8.67
QF 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) 14.74 def. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 14.54
QF 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.30 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.70
QF 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.50 def. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.00
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men's Final Results:
F 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.50 def. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 11.00
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men's Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.93 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.30
SF 2: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 15.30 def. John John Florence (HAW) 12.26
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men's Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 13.43 def. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 12.67
QF 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.00 def. Jackson Baker (AUS) 14.90
QF 3: John John Florence (HAW) 14.17 def. Connor O'Leary (AUS) 11.44
QF 4: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 11.23 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.10
Photo by Ed Sloane/World Surf League
Photo by Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League- source : World Surf League
