World Surf League Championship Tour: Bells Beach

First stop Gold Coast, Queensland. Second stop Bells Beach, Victoria. Welcome to the start of the 2019 World Surf League Championship Tour. Following the opening event at Coolangatta’s Snapper Rocks, The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach comp brings the world’s 54 best surfers to the second round of the Championship Tour as they continue their mission to be crowned the best on earth at the end of the 2019 season.

With consecutive competitions for 58 years, the historic Torquay beach is the world’s longest-running world championship level event. Previous tournaments have seen 15-foot waves, teenage wildcard winners and legendary performances from history’s best surfers. It’s the second stage in the 11-part World Championship circuit that ends in Hawaii in December.

This year’s showpiece, held over the Easter long weekend, will welcome the best of now – Australian and world number one Steph Gilmore, Courtney Conlogue, Carissa Moore and previous winner and Australian Sally Fitzgibbons in the women’s round.

The men’s round brings in big names such as Brazilian world number one Gabriel Medina, Queenslander Julian Wilson, Filipe Toledo and four-time Bells Beach winner Kelly Slater. Sadly, Australian and four-time winner Mick Fanning is out of this year’s comp – he retired after last year’s event.

General admission tickets will be sold at the gate, but VIP tickets (from $299, price only paid if competition happens on the day) entitle you to some free food and drink, a lounge with viewing screens and organised meet and greets with the athletes.

If you can’t make it to the event you can watch it live on worldsurfleague.com, the WSL app, or Facebook LIVE. There will also be VIP experiences on offer throughout the tour, both around the country and internationally. Check them out here.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with World Surf League.