Rip Curl Pro Lineups

The second stop on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach gets underway tomorrow with a competitive window of April 1 – 12, 2015.

The world’s best male and female surfers will battle the elements and adapt their approaches in hunting for waves, scores and the honour of ringing the coveted Bell.



Three-time World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) secured his third Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach win in 2014 (he previously won as a wildcard in 2001 and again in 2012).

After a Quarterfinal finish at Snapper Rocks, Fanning is eager to defend his title at Bells. Fanning will face Freddy Patacchia Jr. (HAW) and wildcard Mason Ho (HAW) in Round 1.



“For me this is a home away from home,” Fanning said. “As a kid this is the first event, other than the Gold Coast, that I ever came to and watched the greats like Occy (Mark Occhilupo), Matt Hoy and Shane Dorian win the event. Those were my first years coming here and I fell in love with the place straight away.”

“So many things have gone down at this event and there’s been so many crazy battles. It’s one of those places that I really enjoy surfing the wave.”

Pauline Ado (FRA) will join the WSL Top 17 and complete the lineup for the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach.

Former Championship Tour surfer Ado won the event trials to earn her place amongst the world’s best and will face Moore and Dimity Stoyle (AUS) in Round 1 Heat 3.


“I am stoked to get into the event,” Ado said. “Thank you to Rip Curl for allowing me the chance to surf in the trials and make it into the main event.”


Phillip Island’s Joe Van Dijk (AUS), brother of CT surfer Nikki Van Dijk, also won through the event trials yesterday. Bells Beach will mark his first CT event and he will match-up against reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and rookie Matt Banting (AUS) in Round 1.


“It’s going to be so good to compete in the Rip Curl Pro with my sister,” Van Dijk said. “I have been watching her compete over the past few years and it is what I have been aspiring to do. It’s nice to get the chance to surf in the main event.”


The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is the longest-running professional surfing contest in the world and one of the most coveted titles on Tour. This year celebrates the 54th running of the event.

The event window runs from Wednesday April 1 to Sunday April 12, 2015 and if you’re not at Bells Beach you can catch all the action live at WorldSurfLeague.com.



Catch It

This award winning film profiles surfer Léa Brassy, who grew up in northern France. At 17, she moved to southern France for the warm water surf but then her nomadic lifestyle took her to Unstad in the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. Trading in her bikini for a thick wetsuit, she connected with the surrounding mountains, Arctic surf, simple living and she has been there since. Whether it’s paddling hard for a wave, or chasing after a passion – Léa reminds us that if the timing is right, we have to Catch It.

Fergal Smith ploughing and pulling in

Ferg realises his dream of using horse power to plough his fields, before heading out for a session at a pumping left hander with Tom Lowe, Hugh Galloway, Dave Blount and Patch Wilson

BEYOND ELECTRIC DREAMS

https://vimeo.com/123187590
Fransisco Alves shares a few dark Mully bombs with Jayce Robinson and Lyndon Wake.

Sam Smart – Sun, sea and sharks

Little clip from Sennens Sam Smart put together during is recent visit to Oz.

Scottish, English and Welsh nationals lining up.

Scottish National Surfing Championships 2015
The Scottish National Surfing Championships will take place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of April 2015 at Thurso-East. Please note that checkin will be done online the during the week of the competition not at 8am as stated on the poster. The call will be made on the Tuesday before the competition with further information and checkin details. All competitors must be members of the SSF- please join at http://www.thessf.com

Watergate Bay will be the venue for the English National Surfing Championships in 2015 over the weekend 2-5th May.

The English Surfing federation, English National Surf Championships 2015 entry forms are here;

This year’s Welsh National Surfing Championships will be held the same weekend at the usual venue of Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire. It is co-sponsored by Rusty, FCS and Gorilla (through Holysport UK) and MiPost Mailing Solutions, Cardiff.

In a statement President Huw John said: “We’re delighted that following last year’s successful sponsorship deal that Rusty, FCS and Gorilla will again be supporting our Flagship Event, along with MiPost who already sponsor Glamorgan Cricket Team. It’s fantastic that the WSF is able to attract sponsorship from MiPost who recognise the appeal of our sport to their business and the non surfing public. We would like to thank both Liam O’Shea (Holysport UK) and Ken Vaughan (Mipost) for their generosity and commitment to surfing in Wales.”