By Damien Ractliffe
Star surfer Tyler Wright has claimed back-to-back bells at the Rip Curl Pro, but the heartwarming result of the event was the win of Ethan Ewing in the men’s final, who prevailed 40 years after his late mum Helen Lambert claimed the women’s title.
Tuesday’s men’s and women’s finals at Bells Beach featured four Australians - for the first time since 1991 - with women’s runner-up Molly Picklum retaining her status as the world’s No.1 surfer, while men’s runner-up Ryan Callinan was denied his first championship tour title.
Ethan Ewing in action on the final day of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.Credit: Justin McManus
It was Ewing’s second career World Surf League victory, after winning at J-Bay last year, repeating what his mother achieved in 1983 in claiming surfing’s most recognisable trophy.
Helen Ewing (nee Lambert) passed away in 2005 after a five-year battle with breast cancer, aged 39. Ethan, the youngest of three boys, was aged just six.
The late Helen Lambert Ewing with son Ethan.Credit: Point Lookout Boardriders
“Such a special thing. I’ve been thinking about it,” Ewing said in the immediate aftermath of his win.
“It’s been a huge goal of mine and in honour of her, I wanted to do her proud. It’s so good.”
In collecting the trophy, Ewing said the achievement - the first mother-son double ever completed on the World Surf League stage - was still sinking in.
“I’ve had the [1983] trophy next to my bed pretty much my whole life and looked at that and dreamt of it, and seeing her name on the stairs, and now having my name there is so, so special,” he said.
“I just want to say a big thank you to my dad, I wouldn’t be here without him. He’s somewhere up the back.
“I just want to say to everyone out there, tell your mum you love them because you never know what life throws at you.”
Tyler Wright rings the famous bell.Credit: Justin McManus
The Queenslander took a strategy of patience in all of his heats leading into the all-Australian decider, but played the role of aggressor in the final against Callinan, putting up 12 points before Callinan could even get on the board.
That proved insurmountable for Callinan in his second final on the championship tour, his first being the Quiksilver Pro France in 2018 when runner-up to Julian Wilson.
Ewing’s win was the first by an Australian male at Bells since Matt Wilkinson’s title in 2016, a year after Mick Fanning won his fourth.
Ewing said he was setting his sights on another top-five finish in the championship standings, after finishing fourth overall last year.
Meanwhile, Wright’s win came in front of a huge contingent of family and friends, who flocked to Bells Beach for the week to watch Wright’s brother, Owen, surf for the final time on the WSL, and saw Tyler go back-to-back.
Tyler Wright celebrates at Bells Beach. Credit: Ed Sloane, World Surf League
“I didn’t think much of this week, like, it wasn’t like last year where there was so much emotion in it,” Wright said.
“It was 12 years for me to try and get the first one. This one felt different, but all the same, it’s been [an] absolute privilege to surf here, and it’s been amazing to have my full team and full support here. It’s moments like these that mean the world to me now, so to execute this week the way I have, I’m really proud.”
“I’ve had the [1983] trophy next to my bed pretty much my whole life and looked at that and dreamt of it, and seeing her name on the stairs, and now having my name there is so, so special.”
Ethan Ewing on winning the Rip Curl Pro 40 years after his mother achieved the same feat
Wright denied Stephanie Gilmore a chance at winning her fifth title at Bells Beach with a clinical display in the semi-final, while Picklum knocked off fellow Australian Isabella Nichols.
But Wright’s experience told in the decider, as she posted a total of 16 early, making life very difficult for 20-year-old mentee Picklum.
“It’s one of the funniest finals I’ve ever had,” Wright said, declining to elaborate.
“I’m really proud of “Pickles”. I’m really proud of the young woman she is and the athlete she’s becoming. That was a pretty special final with “Pickles”, one of our first and I hope there are many more to come.”
Tyler Wright, now ranked second in the world, is the ninth female surfer to go back-to-back at Bells Beach, and the first Australian woman since Sally Fitzgibbons won in 2011 and 2012.
Wright, Ewing and Callinan all ensured they made the cut by reaching Tuesday’s finals.
Last year’s men’s WSL competition was cut from 36 to 24 surfers, and the women’s dropped from 18 to 12 competitors at the tour’s halfway point.
Former world champ Fitzgibbons and Olympic medallist Owen Wright were among the high-profile casualties of the rule last year, while Picklum also fell victim to the format change, re-qualifying for the Tour via the second-tier Challenger Series.
Picklum will retain the tour leader’s yellow jersey heading to the next event at Margaret River. Jack Robinson, who exited in the round of 32, has lost his yellow jersey to Joao Chianca.
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