It was a beautiful morning down at Bells, with blue skies, clean conditions and swell peaking around 4-6 feet. It was offshore in the morning with light NE winds blowing through in the arvo. Waves were pumping all day and surfers were stoked to compete at a pumping Bells with one person out.
The men’s round of 32 was completed today with some interesting match-ups and upsets- creating an epic day of surfing. Each competitor was hungry to progress to the round of 16 and get a good result before the cut-off at the end of the Australian leg.
Here were the highlights of day four at Bells.
The Aussies Shine!
A glorious day for the Australian surfers. Conor O’Leary, Owen Wright, Jackson Baker, Morgan Cibilic, Ethan Ewing, Callum Robson, Mick Fanning and Jack Robinson all progressed to the round of 16.
There are no Australian’s currently in the top ten, so all surfers were relieved to make their heats. This especially was the case for Owen Wright and Morgan Cibilic who sit well behind the cut-off line.
Owen Wright was in heat one against in-form Griffin Colapinto, the bronze-medallist used his experience choosing better waves and his powerful backhand to take the win. His brother Mikey Wright was on fire in his heat, losing to Brazilian Felipe Toledo in a controversial decision, with many on social media calling the judges decision wrong.
It was not looking good for Morgan Cibilic who was matched against Hawaiian Barron Mamiya. Morgs was quiet in the start of the heat, with his opponent Mamiya lighting up the bells bowl. The 2021 rookie of the year, remained composed, used his rail-game and great positioning to get himself a spot in the round of 16.
West- Aus local Jack Robinson landed a massive alley-oop, scoring a 9.17 in his victory over fellow child-prodigy Leonardo Fioravanti.
Mick Progresses, Kelly Is Out
The four-time Bells champs had polar-opposite opponents in their heats. Mick was match-up against the top seed while Kelly competed with one of the lower seeds in the WSL rankings.
Mick’s opponent was world no.1 Kanoa Igrashi, the 40-year-old faced no easy task against a hungry and in-form 24-year-old.
We still didn’t know what to expect from the three-times world champ, Mick started off slow in the opening round but has shown better signs as the competition has progressed highlighted by defeating the world no. 1 today.
The cob-webs were off with Mick peaking in his round of 32 heat. Fanning was on point from start to end, making no mistakes and was back to his precise rail-game. His high score of 8.77 was a flashback to his prime self smoothly dissecting his first turn, hitting the lip and then finishing it off with his signature fins out.
The contest was competitive to the final siren, Igrashi surfed a bumpy wave well in the final minutes of the heat. It was close, but Igrashi missed the desired score by less than a point. Fanning got the upset and showed that at 40 he can still beat the worlds best.
On the other hand, Kelly Slater is out of this year’s Bells after losing to Hawaiian Imaikalani deVault . Slater was dominating the heat with five minutes left on the clock. However, rookie deVault, not intimidated by the GOAT, put together a well-ridden wave to get the nod. Even though Slater lost, this was the best he looked since Pipeline, after just recovering from COVID and rumours he is carrying a foot injury, the 50 year-old looked solid at Bells just came up short against a more desperate opponent who is facing the cut.
Best performers?
Jackson Baker
Jacko Baker had a big task in his heat against fellow big-man Jordy Smith. It was a close contest with the lead changing throughout the 30 minute heat. Jordy looking strong despite his lingering foot injury which has been an issue all year.
Jacko, however, did not shy away from the occasion and put on a power-surfing clinic, the Novocastrian continued his from after beating John-John in the opening round.
John-John Florence was on another level at Bells today. You give the former Bells champ, good conditions and a big wall and it is borderline impossible to beat him, Jao Chianca found this out in our ‘heat of the day’.
Heat of the day?
John John Florence (18.86) V Jao Chianca (17.73)
Watching this heat from my living room in Sydney it was easily the standout match-up of the day.
Tracks editor Luke Kennedy is at Bells check out his wrap of the heat here.
Round of 32 results
- Heat 1
- Owen Wright – 13.67
- Griffin Colapinto – 12.34
- Heat 2
- Nat Young – 13.50
- Caio Ibelli – 8.60
- Heat 3
- Jackson Baker – 14.60
- Jordy Smith – 10.90
- Heat 4
- Ethan Ewing – 15.73
- Lucca Mesinas – 8.90
- Heat 5
- Felipe Toldo – 15.16
- Mikey Wright – 14.67
- Heat 6
- Conor O’ Leary – 13.46
- Zeke Lau – 13.26
- Heat 7
- John John Florence – 18.86
- Jaoa Chianca – 17.73
- Heat 8
- Morgan Cibilic – 14.93
- Barron Mamiya – 13.50
- Heat 9
- Mick Fanning – 15.77
- Kanoa Igrashi – 14.83
- Heat 10
- Callum Robson – 15.27
- Fredrico Morais – 13.43
- Heat 11
- Miguel Pupo – 15.80
- Deivid Silva – 15.53
- Heat 12
- Kolohe Andino – 14.10
- Jadson Andre – 14.06
- Heat 13
- Imaikalani deVault – 13.84
- Kelly Slater – 13.77
- Heat 14
- Jack Robinson – 16.17
- Leonardo Fiorvanti – 9.90
- Heat 15
- Samuel Pupo – 10.10
- Jake Marshall – 9.17
- Heat 16
- Italo Ferreira – 14.00
- Ryan Callinan – 13.00
