*workhorse – a person that dependably performs hard work over a long period of time.
Without wishing to detract from Wilko’s performance at Bells last year cos the man was on a roll of a lifetime (and had the bar tab of a lifetime) but the event was won with standard surfing. Wilko is an amazing surfer, he is fast and fluid and contemporary, but he’s not a futuristic surfer, he’s not winning events by taking to the skies, pretty much ever. He can do airs, and he can do incredible variants of all the modern airs, but they seldom come out in events and especially at Bells. Bells Beach is just not that kind of lady.
The judges like to see Bells ridden on the face, with carves, wrapping cutbacks, sheets of spray and waves ridden through to the inside with neat little finishes. Surfers who take to the skies don’t win at Bells. Surfers who do this
come second and surfers who do this don't seem to win events at Bells.
Looking further in the rearview mirror, Mick Fanning won Bells in 2015, and he didn't win by going for flips or spins. In second place was Adriano, and he got the runner-up spot with hard work and not with air surfing.
In 2014 it was also Fanning, doing the hard work in front of his main sponsor at their flagship event. Lightning fast speed runs, fast and tight surfing in the pockets and some critical combination moves saw him come in ahead of Taj Burrow.
Adriano de Souza rang the bell in 2013 without busting too much space between his rocker and the waves. Adriano surfed hard, and consistently pulled off two major moves on the outside with plenty of power and finished off every single one of his waves off neatly with a tight little re-entry or floater. Second placer Nat Young, a brilliant surfer, didn't do many new new-school moves during that event either.
In 2012 Fanning beat Slater, with Slater doing that one incredible air, but it was the fastest surfer who took first, and in 2011 Parko surfed smooth and controlled to beat Mick Fanning in the final
By now you’re picking up the trend.
John John could do it at Bells, because a) He just destroyed Margarets, regained the Jeep Yellow Leaders Jersey and put everyone else to shame and b) his surfing on the face is incredible and he knows how to mix it up enough when airs are not going to necessarily win. Another one who knows how to surf Bells the way the judges like it to be surfed is Jordy. Even though between John John and Jordy they have pretty much every air wrapped up, it’s actually Jordy’s power and combinations that are perfectly suited to the Bells walls at any size. It’s worth it to watch this wave a few times to just witness what the big South African is actually capable of at Bells.
Owen Wright is another goofy who could perform at Bells. He performs his best on the face on his backhand, and his win at Snapper also didn't see him hover that much above the lip.
Let’s not get negative about anything though. Some events love airs, some events love the carve, while others are just about barrels, pretty much. At Bells it’s a beautiful set-up, there is always plenty of red-hot surfing and entertainment, excitement all the way. Rip Curl always put on a great show.
