Straddie pro surfer Ethan Ewing pays tribute to late mum Helen after winning Bells Beach classic

For most of his life Straddie pro surfer Ethan Ewing has slept with his late mum’s prestigious Bells Beach trophy next to his bed. This week, he added his own title.

North Stradbroke Island Minjerribah’s Ethan Ewing points to his mum’s name on the Bells Beach trophy. Ewing won the prestigious Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach classic 40 years after his late mum. Picture: Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League

Winning the prestigious Men’s World Surf League trophy at Bells Beach was a bittersweet victory for Straddie pro surfer Ethan Ewing.

When the 24-year-old victoriously raised the world title trophy above his head, it was in honour of his late mum Helen Lambert, who rang the iconic Bells Beach bell 40 years ago after she won the title and became part of surfing history.

Sadly, Helen, who reared her family of three sons on the island, died of breast cancer aged 39, in 2005, when Ethan was six.

But she left a legacy for her sons to draw from, winning state and national titles, the Hang Ten Pro in California, a qualifying series in Indonesia, and took on the role as president of the Point Lookout Boardriders’ Club before establishing the Surfing Mum’s Social Group.

Ethan, now ranked fourth in the world, said the win was the biggest in his career and important for his family.

Ethan Ewing and mum Helen.

“There were a lot of emotions but everything rolled really smoothly and it’s definitely the biggest win of my career so far,” he said.

“The event was really important for my family.

“Mum won it in 1983 and I’ve had her trophy next to my bed pretty much for my whole life.

“I’ve looked at that and I’ve dreamt of it and seeing her name on the stairs at Bells Beach and now having my name there, is so, so special.

“It’s been a huge goal of mine and in honour of her, I wanted to do her proud.

“Thanks to my dad, I would not be here without him … To everyone out there, tell your mum you love them because you never know what life throws at you.”

Ethan’s success came despite growing up shielded from the highly competitive cut and thrust surfing competition hubs at places such as the Gold Coast, California or Hawaii.

World surfing champion Ethan Ewing at Straddie, Minjerribah.

Years of hard work went into winning the title but Ethan said he had always loved surfing and learned his craft outside a conventional surf school like many other pro surfers.

Although Straddie is on the periphery of world surfing, island life allowed Ethan to relax and enjoy surfing as a sport — even though he is competitive.

“As a kid I loved surfing and I spent almost all my time on a board at the beach at Point Lookout, which is where the surf is.

The late Helen Lambert Ewing with her son Ethan Ewing. Picture: Point Lookout Boardriders Facebook Page.

“It’s a pretty cool place to grow up and a lot of good surfers have come out of my town.”

Along with following in the footsteps of his mother, the former Cleveland District State High School student is inspired by pro surfer Bede Durbidge, who also grew up at Point Lookout.

Durbidge, 40, carved his name in surfing history when he beat seven-time champion Kelly Slater at Trestles, San Clemente, California in 2006.

He also went on to win the Quiksilver Pro at the Gold Coast in 2007 and was runner up for the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour in 2008.

Coming through the ranks, the island now has young gun Monty Mergler who made his mark winning the cadet division.