Surfing: Nichols and Robinson pull their own stunts to win Bells

Bells Beach is an eerily perfect place for the Rip Curl Pro. Kelly Slater once said ‘It’s like Bells decides who it wants to win’. A pair of Australians have been ‘granted’ that honour.

I’d plonk the following on my list of the top 10 sporting events in Australia.

1 The Australian Open of tennis when the riffraff on the back courts aren’t screeching at Danielle Collins

2 State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium

3 The Australian Grand Prix when Oscar Piastri will surely return next year as the Formula One world champion in his blazing and belligerent orange McLaren

4 The Uluru Camel Cup

5 Any foot race with Gout Gout in it

6 A Boxing Day Test against visiting Englishmen

7 The Melbourne Cup whenever the rain’s not bucketing down

8 The AFL grand final

9 A Wallabies Test (just one)

10 The Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.

The NRL decider would get a run if we weren’t shafted by the money-hungry, TV-pandering Sunday night timeslot. Players hate it as passionately as the fans.

Bells is an eerily perfect place for the oldest surfing contest in the world. There’s something spiritual and/or supernatural happening beneath these ragged cliffs. I remember Kelly Slater losing a final to Joel Parkinson and saying in spooked tones, “It’s like Bells decides who it wants to win”.

Australia’s Isabella Nichols in action at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. (Photo by Cait Miers/World Surf League)

On Sunday, Bells stroked its chin, looked through the draw and decided Australia should get the double. Bells gave Isabella Nichols a bigger claim to fame than the time she was American actor Blake Lively’s stunt double for a Hollywood movie called The Shallows; Bells allowed Jack Robinson to finally ring the most famous trophy in the sport.

Nichols beat Brazil’s Luana Silva by 16.26 points to 12.67 in lumpy, bumpy, fist-pumping, inconsistent head-height conditions. Only two exceptional waves swung into the bowl for the women’s final. Bells handed both to Nichols and whispered she was welcome. “I’m lost for words,” the 27-year-old Queenslander said. “It’s such a cliche but man, so much has gone into this.

“I’ve been chasing this feeling. It’s an emotion I cant describe in words. You can see it on my face. It’s the best day of my life.

Women’s champion and homegrown hero Isabella Nichols at Bells Beach. (Photo by Cait Miers/World Surf League)

“So many emotions, so many challenges, so many really tough opponents. My friends and family are on the beach, honestly, nothing beats this. I’ve been coming here since I was 15 years old. It means more to me than anyone could imagine.”

The first Hollywood actor’s stunt double to win Bells – cast for Lively’s surfing scenes – was carried up the beach by one of her coaches, Matt Grainger, and her father Ron, wearing his Brisbane Broncos jersey.

“Three times a year I’ve always come down here to work on my technique,” she said. “It’s all paid off. This doesn’t feel real. To ring the bell is just so prestigious, so iconic. It’s the one event I’ve always wanted to win. I can’t believe it, I cannot even fathom it.

“I never really thought it was a possibility. I hoped, but it was a long shot. I’m bloody stoked!”

Australia’s Jack Robinson at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. (Photo by Ed Sloane/World Surf League)

Pleased with Nichols’ triumph, Bells turned its attention to the men’s decider. Robinson was tackling Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi. Robinson was going hell for leather from the outset, nearly too amped up. Igarashi was more balletic and led. Robinson found his feet and composure to be more Zen than his son, whose name is Zen. Only one exceptional wave swung into the bowl for the men’s final. Bells handed it to Robinson and whispered that he, too, was welcome. He wrapped himself in an Australian flag and grinned so broadly the rest of his face nearly disappeared.

“Far out. It’s just a surreal feeling,” he said. “I’m just in the moment, soaking it in. This has been a really special week. Good vibes. There’s not too many words when you’re in the moment like this.”

Everyone headed to the car park for the presentation ceremony. Always a raw and rugged occasion. Robinson leapt to third on the world rankings; Nichols is fourth. It’s considered sacrilegious to ring the bell unless you’ve won the trophy. Then you ring the life out of it. You ring it like there’s no tomorrow. Given the wild nature of Bells’ afterparties, tomorrow is never totally guaranteed.

Jack Robinson shows his class at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. (Photo by Ed Sloane/World Surf League)

Robinson finished faster than Gout Gout, or Piastri’s orange McLaren, one and the same for speed, really. His name was etched on to the same silverware as the esteemed likes of Slater, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Andy Irons and Taj Burrow.

“Right before the final we were watching footage of Parko and Mick, we watched Taj and Andy and Kelly, and I was all fired up,” he said. “Inspiration from those guys. I just channelled that. The ocean’s wild. Surfing’s wild in the way it chooses you. I’m sort of blessed. It’s super-surreal and cool and special. I’m grateful and stoked it went my way.”