Jordy 3rd

​BELLS BEACH, Victoria/AUS (Saturday, April 27, 2019) - Courtney Conlogue (USA) and John John Florence (HAW) won the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Stop No. 2 on the 2019 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) in picturesque conditions with pumping 2 - 3 metre waves on Saturday
 
Although he fell in the Semifinals to eventual winner Florence in the Semifinals, 2017 Bells Beach champion Jordy Smith (Durban) was a clear standout on the last two days of competition. The South African powered through the unruly 3 - 5 metre waves on Friday, defeating Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN).
 
In classic Bells conditions on Saturday, Smith overcame Jeep  rankings leader Italo Ferreira (BRA) in their quarter-final clash when the Brazilian incurred an interference call and had one of his two counting scores reduced to zero.
 
Smith’s second-consecutive 3rd place finish saw him solidify his third place in the latest rankings behind Florence and Ferreira, and ahead of Bells Beach runner-up Filipe Toledo and fellow Brazilian and reigning world champion Gabriel Medina.
 
After carrying an injury for the majority of the 2018 season, former two-time WSL Champion Florence returned to competition with a bang, finishing in 3rd on the Gold Coast and now winning his maiden Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach title. Florence’s trademark power and finesse perfectly matched the huge walls of the last two days.
 
“It’s a surreal feeling to have won this event,” Florence said.  “Especially an event like this where we started at Winki with small waves then to how big it was yesterday and then just totally perfect today. There have been so many different faces and challenges and then surfing against Filipe (Toledo) is always pretty scary.”
 
In addition to the conditions, the win was not without its fierce opponents as Florence overcame Medina (BRA) in the Quarterfinals, Smith (ZAF) in the Semifinals, and Brazilian contender Filipe Toledo (BRA) in the Final. Florence’s win gives him his career’s best start to the season and he will head to the Stop No 3, the Corona Bali Protected, wearing the Jeep Leader Jersey, a frightening prospect for the rest of the men's CT. 
 
Following an injury-plagued 2018 of herown, and a 9th place result at Stop No. 1 on the Gold Coast, Conlogue is back on top of the podium after winning her third Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach title. The Californian surfed well through the early rounds, but then came into her own on the last two days in the massive surf, standing out from the rest of the field with her committed and critical turns.
 
“What an event! I went from being out of rhythm with the ocean to the ocean being in the kind of rhythm I enjoy,” Conlogue said.  “I was trying to contain my ‘grom froth’ watching the waves all day. It feels incredible to get another Bell, they’re not easy to come by. Every single Bell has its own special path and journey that got me it and this one was definitely an amazing one to win.” 
 
Conlogue defeated fellow Californian Lakey Peterson (USA) in the Semifinal and went on to meet Malia Manuel (HAW) in the Final where she earned the year’s first Perfect 10 point ride to secure her win at Bells. This was Conlogue's second win over Manuel in a Final. The win moves Conlogue from 9th to 3rd on the Jeep Leaderboard.
 
For full results, images and highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
 
The next stop on the 2019 WSL Championship Tour will be the Corona Bali Protected at Keramas on the East Coast of Bali. The event window will open on May 13 and run through May 25, 2019. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and Facebook.com/WSL.
 
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women’s Final Results:
1 - Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.83
2 - Malia Manuel (HAW) 14.84
 
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Women’s Semifinal Results:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.50 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 9.67 
Heat 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 9.33 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 7.80
 
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Final Results:
1 - John John Florence (HAW) 14.30
2 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.83
 
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Semifinal Results:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.40 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.84
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 16.80 DEF. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.24
 
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
Heat 1: Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.67 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 5.67
Heat 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.17 DEF. Jacob Willcox (AUS) 13.06
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) 16.87 DEF. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.17 
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.23 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 8.40
 
2019 WSL Women’s CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach):
1 - Caroline Marks (USA) 16,085 points
2 - Malia Manuel (HAW) 13,885 points
3 - Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12,610 points
4 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 12,545 points
5 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9,490 points
 
2019 WSL Men’s CT Jeep Leaderboard (After Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach):
1 - John John Florence (HAW) 16,085 points
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 14,745 points
3 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12,170 points
4 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 11,120 points
5 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9,490 points