World No.1 Molly Picklum will have to come through the elimination heats after losing to Ellie Harrison at the Rip Curl Pro

A teenage wildcard who surfed her way in to the Rip Curl Pro last weekend proved an opening day giant killer at Bells Beach.

World No.1 Molly Picklum will have to win her first title at Bells Beach the hard way after being stunned in her opening heat by 18-year-old local wildcard Ellie Harrison who only won her way into the Rip Curl Pro last Saturday.

Harrison, from nearby Barwon Heads took out the wildcard event at Winkipop last weekend and brought all that momentum, adrenaline and local knowledge in to the all-Australian clash with Picklum and Isabella Nichols.

In tougher conditions than the men faced in the morning, the teenager took the lead early and, amid massive cheers from the beach, was never headed and progressed directly through to the round of 16 declaring it was “crazy” because she’s “normally here just watching”.

“I was very nervous in that heat, not just knowing who I had, but I knew any heat I was going to draw would be hard,” Harrison said.

“Just more being here, being around the comp, I am normally here just watching, being a grom, getting everyone’s signatures, and now I am in the event.

“Everything is so much crazier. I’m definitely feeling it.

Ellie Harrison at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)

“It still doesn’t all feel real. Surfing at home feels amazing, having all my friends and family here, it couldn’t get any better.

Picklum finished last as the waves evaporated in the afternoon and winds turned on shore. The 21-year-old will now have to come through as elimination round clash with fellow Aussies India Robinson and Sophie McCulloch if she wants to get anywhere near back-to-back finals at the Rip Curl Pro.

A finalist last year, Picklum only scored on three waves but Harrison said she took the presence of the yellow-jersey out of her mind on her way to the biggest heat win of her fledgling career.

“I just focused on myself. I know Molly is incredible, she’s an insane surfer and I look up to her a lot,” she said.

“I knew I had Molly for like four days, but I just focused on my own performance. It’s still just a heat, still just a wave.

“We got windy wave’s it as onshore, but it was still fun. It was huge adrenaline. There’s no other feeling like it.”

Back-t0-back Bells champ Tyler Wright was the only other Australian heat winner among the women on the opening day taking out the final clash despite compatriot Sally Fitzgibbons pulling off the best wave of the day, an 8.43 ride as time elapsed to book her place in the next round.

That was INSANE. An 8.43 on the buzzer! 🚨 #SallyFitzgibbons

Watch LIVE on https://t.co/ie0ZfMWjFw.#RipCurlProBellsBeach@[e-mail]/6QTnI6vknK

— World Surf League (@wsl) March 26, 2024