Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Sunday, April 24, 2011) – Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, has claimed the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger over compatriot and former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, in an electric Final in solid six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) waves at Bells Beach.
The second stop of the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach celebrated its 50th year of operation this season and the Southern Ocean delivered one of the best swells in recent history for the world’s best to sink their collective fangs into. Today’s Final ran in front of a capacity crowd at Bells Beach, maxing out as early as 11am with cars lined back to the center of Torquay, and the elite ASP Top 34 delivered in sensational fashion.
Leaving little to chance in the highly-anticipated Final, Parkinson opened up with an 8.53 on the first ride of the heat and drove the nail into the coffin with a Perfect 10.
“To me, Mick (Fanning) has been the form surfer of the event and I was never going to take him lightly,” Parkinson said. “I think we both had the same game plan of getting the first good one that came through and putting the momentum behind us. We scrapped for that first wave and I got the nod. Even though it was a mid-8, I knew I needed a lot more to hold him off so I just kept the pressure on from there.”
Today’s victory marks the third Bells title for the Gold Coaster and his 10th elite tour win overall.
Parkinson, who’s last two ASP World Title campaigns have been marred by injuries, is adamant that he is 100% healthy this season and surfing better than ever.
Parkinson who vaults from 9th to 2nd on the ASP World Title Rankings said the final minutes of the final were pressure packed with Fanning always capable of
Fanning, who last rung the bell as a wildcard in 2001, was the in-form surfer of the event, consistently notching the highest single-wave scores and heat totals from Round 1 onwards. However, the lightning-fast natural-footer was unable to overtake his Gold Coast sparring partner in the Final.
Fanning moves from 13th to 6th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, 2010 ASP World Runner-Up, cruised through to the Semifinals of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach despite admittedly feeling out of rhythm throughout the event.
Smith further cements his position at ASP World No. 3.
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, flew the South American flag high through the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, scalping a number of high-profile competitors before falling to Parkinson in the Semifinal.
De Souza goes from 9th to 4th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, suffered a surprise elimination at the hands of De Souza in this morning’s Quarterfinal clash. The young Brazilian left little room for the Champ to respond and an admittedly out-of-rhythm Slater saw his Bells Beach title defense cut abruptly short.
Slater’s Equal 5th at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach sees the American holding the lead in the race for the 2011 ASP World Title heading into the next stop in Brazil.
The 2011 Easter Crowd reached capacity at the Bells Beach Reserve forcing organisers to turn fans away.
The second stop of the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach celebrated its 50th year of operation this season and the Southern Ocean delivered one of the best swells in recent history for the world’s best to sink their collective fangs into. Today’s Final ran in front of a capacity crowd at Bells Beach, maxing out as early as 11am with cars lined back to the center of Torquay, and the elite ASP Top 34 delivered in sensational fashion.
Leaving little to chance in the highly-anticipated Final, Parkinson opened up with an 8.53 on the first ride of the heat and drove the nail into the coffin with a Perfect 10.
“To me, Mick (Fanning) has been the form surfer of the event and I was never going to take him lightly,” Parkinson said. “I think we both had the same game plan of getting the first good one that came through and putting the momentum behind us. We scrapped for that first wave and I got the nod. Even though it was a mid-8, I knew I needed a lot more to hold him off so I just kept the pressure on from there.”
Today’s victory marks the third Bells title for the Gold Coaster and his 10th elite tour win overall.
Parkinson, who’s last two ASP World Title campaigns have been marred by injuries, is adamant that he is 100% healthy this season and surfing better than ever.
Parkinson who vaults from 9th to 2nd on the ASP World Title Rankings said the final minutes of the final were pressure packed with Fanning always capable of
Fanning, who last rung the bell as a wildcard in 2001, was the in-form surfer of the event, consistently notching the highest single-wave scores and heat totals from Round 1 onwards. However, the lightning-fast natural-footer was unable to overtake his Gold Coast sparring partner in the Final.
Fanning moves from 13th to 6th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, 2010 ASP World Runner-Up, cruised through to the Semifinals of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach despite admittedly feeling out of rhythm throughout the event.
Smith further cements his position at ASP World No. 3.
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, flew the South American flag high through the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, scalping a number of high-profile competitors before falling to Parkinson in the Semifinal.
De Souza goes from 9th to 4th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, suffered a surprise elimination at the hands of De Souza in this morning’s Quarterfinal clash. The young Brazilian left little room for the Champ to respond and an admittedly out-of-rhythm Slater saw his Bells Beach title defense cut abruptly short.
Slater’s Equal 5th at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach sees the American holding the lead in the race for the 2011 ASP World Title heading into the next stop in Brazil.
The 2011 Easter Crowd reached capacity at the Bells Beach Reserve forcing organisers to turn fans away.
