Australia’s Jack Robinson earned his first victory of the season on the world championship tour while compatriot Isabella Nichols won the women’s title at the prestigious Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, south of Melbourne, on Sunday.
Paris Olympics silver medallist Robinson scored 7.77 on his third wave after a 6.37 earlier to finish with a two-wave total of 14.14, edging out Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi, who managed 13.87 and missed out on a second tour victory of his career.
“It’s just a surreal feeling. I’m just in the moment, just soaking it all in,” said Robinson, an eight-times tour winner.
“It’s been a special week … there’s so much history here.”
U.S-born Igarashi, who became the first man from Japan to earn a World Surf League elite tour victory when he triumphed in Bali in 2019, needed a 6.98 to regain the lead in a tight final but failed to catch a favourable wave as time ran out.
Nichols earlier outclassed Brazilian Luana Silva to prevail in surfing’s longest-running professional contest, now in its 62nd year, with best scores of 8.33 and 7.93 for a total of 16.26 to her opponent’s 12.67.
A first Bells victory was especially sweet for 27-year-old Queenslander Nichols, who had endured title showdown heartbreak against Hawaiian Gabriela Bryan in the last stop at El Salvador, after skipping her twin sister’s wedding to compete there.
“I’m lost for words. I know it’s a cliche, but so much has gone into the last two weeks,” said Nichols, whose only previous tour title win came at the Margaret River Pro three years ago.
“So many emotions, so many challenges and so many really tough opponents. Props to Lulu (Silva), she’s been surfing so good all event to be in her first final.
“My friends and family are here. Honestly nothing beats this … it’s the one event I’ve always wanted to win and I can’t believe it. I’m bloody stoked.”
The action next shifts to the Gold Coast in Queensland for the sixth event on the 11-stop tour, before the one-day finals for the top five surfers are held in Fiji in late August.
