Mason Ho, excited after a first round win at last year’s Bells event. Photo: WSL
The WCT Tour is plagued with injuries right now. After a violent Pipeline season, three of the Tour’s staples, Owen Wright, Alejo Muniz, and Bede Durbidge, were forced to pull off the 2016 schedule. Now, just a few months into the year, a whole bunch more have been forced to pull the plug–good news for the up-and-comers.
Going into the Bells event, Jack Freestone, Filipe Toledo, and Lakey Peterson are sitting on the sidelines. Their replacements are fired up and ready to go, especially Stuart Kennedy, who is replacing Durbidge. Kennedy put on an unreal performance at Snapper, a similar situation to how Durbidge initially got on tour: as an injury replacement who proved his worth.
Wright will be replaced by Adam Melling, and Muniz by Sebastian Zietz. After Toledo’s groin injury in the semi finals of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, it was announced that crowd favorite Mason Ho would be the replacement surfer–not, though, as an injury wildcard. Jack Freestone, who suffered a knee injury after Snapper, will be replaced by the always-dangerous Dusty Payne.
On the women’s tour, Lakey Peterson was forced to pull off for an undetermined amount of time due to an ankle injury. Australian Bronte Macualay will take her spot.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach opens the window to the contest on March 24th. It runs through April 5th.
Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Caio Ibelli (BRA), Davey Cathels (AUS)
Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS), Stuart Kennedy (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 3: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Conner Coffin (USA), TBD
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS), Keanu Asing (HAW), TBD
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), TBD
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Taj Burrow (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Kolohe Andino (USA), Miguel Pupo (HAW)
Heat 10: Nat Young (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Matt Banting (AUS)
Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), Chelsea Tuach (BRB)
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Malia Manuel (HAW), Alessa Quizon (HAW)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Keely Andrew (AUS), TBD
Heat 4: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), Laura Enever (AUS)
Heat 5: Tyler Wright (AUS), Sage Erickson (USA), Coco Ho (HAW)
Heat 6: Joanne Defay (FRA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW), Bronte Macaulay
