Lay Day Called for Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Swell Approaching

Photo: Courtesy of ASP

BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Tuesday, April 19, 2011) – A lay day has been called for the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford, the second stop of the 2011 ASP World Title season, with only small one-to-two foot (0.5 metre) surf on offer this morning.

“We went on hold until 10am this morning to see if the swell would fill in but as it hasn’t, we’ve called competition off for the day,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge, said. “We’re looking at some fairly promising swell models that are projected to fill in over the coming days so we’ll be back tomorrow morning to see what Bells has to offer.”

Event organizers will reconvene at 7am tomorrow morning to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.

When the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger kicks off, up first will be Adrian Buchan (AUS), 28, Alejo Muniz (BRA), 21, and Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 28, in Heat 1 of Round 1.

When the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Fiesta kicks off, up first will be Chelsea Hedges (AUS), 27, Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 27, and Rebecca Woods (BRA), 26, in Heat 1 of Round 1.

Coastalwatch, official surf forecasters for the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, are calling for a new 3-4 foot groundswell with clean mostly offshore to begin building on Wednesday. On Thursday, a stronger building trend with wave heights increasing throughout the day before peaking at 4-6 foot on Friday, gradually easing off into the weekend, but still 3-5 foot surf until mid-next week.

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by FORD will take place at Victoria’s pristine Bells Beach from April 19 – 30, 2011 and be webcast LIVE via www.live.ripcurl.com and broadcast live on Fuel TV in Australia and ESPN in Brazil.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS), Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA), Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT), Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Dusty Payne (HAW), Stu Kennedy (AUS)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Adam Robertson (AUS)
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Taylor Knox (USA), Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Chris Davidson (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 12: Brett Simpson (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA), Laura Enever (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW), Tyler Wright (AUS), Pauline Ado (FRA)