Bells Beach is a staple on the Championship Tour. After a three year hiatus due to COVID-19, the CT returns to Bells Beach for its 59th year. With just two events left before mid-season cuts, the stakes are high and the athletes are ready.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to earn a big score at Bells Beach? In the above video, former WSL head judge Rich Porta chats with Joe Turpel about how to impress the judges and walk away with a high score at the famous wave.
“You’ve got to go big,” says Porta. “Bells is a big playing field—it’s a big wave, it’s big walls. Small, safe surfing just doesn’t cut it here at all. You’ve really got to go big to get a big score here.”
Porta breaks down Gabriel Medina’s 9.0 ride in 2019, talks about how John John Florence earned a 9.63 in 2019, and how Courtney Conlogue landed a perfect 10 in 2019. He also discusses Bells Beach’s little brother, Winkipop, and what it takes to earn high scores there as well. With south swell filling in, it’s about to go off.
