Bells Wrap-Up: A Tough Week, Molly Starts Strong

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is done for another year, and like plenty of Bells events before it, the conditions kept everyone guessing right through the window.

With the contest split between Bells Bowl and Winkipop, it was a tricky one from start to finish. There were opportunities, but not much rhythm, and that always makes it hard to really settle into an event. Bells can do that. It asks a lot of surfers, and this year was no different.

The standout result for the DHD crew was Molly Picklum, who finished runner-up to kick off the defence of her 2025 World Title in strong fashion. It was another big result to start the year, and she looked sharp all event. There was also a bit of friendly fire in the women’s semis, with Molly and Isabella Nichols matched up against each other. Molly got the better of that one and pushed through to the final.

Outside of that, it was a tougher week for the rest of the team. A few early exits, a couple of surprise losses, and one of those events where things just didn’t quite click the way we’d hoped. That’s tour surfing sometimes — fine margins, tricky conditions, and not a lot of room to recover.

Still, that’s round one done, and there’s plenty of surf left this season.

Now it’s straight on to Western Australia, with the next event kicking off Thursday 16 April. Different wave, different challenge, and another chance for the team to get to work.

Board Details:

Molly Picklum - 5'8 x 18 1/8 x 2 1/4 MF DNA
Isabella Nichols - 5'10 x 18 5/16 x 2 5/16 SG No.8
Stephanie Gilmore - 5'10 x 18 5/16 x 2 1/4 SG No.8
Nadia Erostarbe - 5'9 x 18 5/16 x 2 5/16 EE Juliette
Francisca Veselko - 5'7 x 18 3/8 x 2 3/8 MF DNA
Ethan Ewing - 6'1 x 19 x 2 5/8 EE Juliette
Connor O'Leary - 6'2 x 19 1/4 x 2 11/16 EE Juliette
Luke Thompson - 5'10 x 18 11/16 x 2 1/2 MF Lightning
Liam O'Brien - 5'11 x 18 3/4 x 2 7/16 EE Juliette
Joel Vaughan - 5'11 x 18 3/4 x 2 1/2 MF DNA
Callum Robson - 6'0 x 19 x 2 9/16 EE Juliette