California surfers win both Pro Bells Beach titles in Australia

Both Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach titles presented by Bonsoy were won by surfers from California. Caitlin Simmers, just 18 years old, defeated Frenchwoman Johanne Defay, 30, on the wave surfed in the last seconds of the final, which was worth the lead in the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) 2024 ranking.

And the newcomer to the elite, Cole Houshmand, 23 years old, achieved his first victory beating number 1, Griffin Colapinto, 25, in the unprecedented decision of the “2% Crew”, as the local San Clemente crowd is known, who have been standing out at the start of the season. The fifth stage starts on the 11th and the Western Australia Margaret River Pro will determine the elite cut, from 34 to 22 surfers in the men’s ranking and from 17 to the top 10 in the women’s ranking.

“I’m speechless, this is unbelievable,” said Cole Houshmand. “I’ve been dreaming about this every day for the last few weeks, of ringing the bell, and I did it. My biggest goal was to make the cut (in the elite) to compete in Fiji and now I can pursue a bigger goal. The year really starts now. I told Griffin that this was what we had dreamed of since we were kids, to make a CT final together. It’s not often you get to make a final with your best friend, so this is probably the best day of my life.”

RESULTS FROM THE LAST DAY OF RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH:
Champion: Cole Houshmand (USA) for 13.50 pts (7.00+6.50) – US$ 80,000 and 10,000 pts
2nd place: Griffin Colapinto (USA) with 12.80 pts (6.93+5.87) – US$ 40,000 and 7,800 pts

SEMIFINALS – 3rd place with US$32,000 and 6,085 points:
1.a: Cole Houshmand (USA) 13.14 x 7.77 Matthew McGillivray (AFR)
2.a: Griffin Colapinto (USA) x Rio Waida (IDN)

WOMEN’S TITLE DECISION:
Champion: Caitlin Simmers (USA) by 12.77 pts (6.67+6.10) – US$ 80,000 and 10,000 pts
2nd place: Johanne Defay (FRA) with 11.60 pts (5.93+5.67) – US$ 40,000 and 7,800 pts

SEMIFINALS – 3rd place with US$32,000 and 6,085 points:
1st: Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.53 x 12.10 Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
2.a: Caroline Marks (USA) x Caitlin Simmers (USA)

WORLD SURF LEAGUE RANKINGS – after 4 stages:

TOP-10 OF THE WOMEN’S RANKING:
1.a: Caitlin Simmers (USA) – 27,355 points
2nd: Johanne Defay (FRA) – 27,290
3rd: Molly Picklum (AUS) – 23,020
4.a: Caroline Marks (USA) – 21,660
5.a: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAV) – 21,240
6.a: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) – 19,300
7th: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) – 18,185
8.a: Tyler Wright (AUS) – 15,630
9.a: Luana Silva (BRA) – 14,710 and 4 heat victories
10.a: Gabriela Bryan (HAV) – 14,710 and 2 wins

TOP-22 OF THE MEN’S RANKING:
1st: Griffin Colapinto (USA) – 24,440 points
2nd: Ethan Ewing (AUS) – 20,610
3rd: John John Florence (HAV) – 17,195
4th: Jake Marhsall (USA) – 16,130
5th: Jack Robinson (AUS) – 15,980 and 10 heat victories
6th: Barron Mamiya (HAV) – 15,980 and 8 wins
7th: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) – 15,770
8th: Cole Houshmand (USA) – 14,915
9th: Crosby Colapinto (USA) – 14,055
10: Jordy Smith (AFR) – 13,490
11: Waida River (IDN) – 12,990
12: Liam O’Brien (AUS) – 12,715
13: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) – 12,150
14: Matthew McGillivray (AFR) – 12,065 and 5 heat wins
15: Connor O’Leary (JPN) – 12,065 and 4 wins
16: Yago Dora (BRA) – 11,290
17: Ryan Callinan (AUS) – 11,000
18: Italo Ferreira (BRA) – 10,725 and 4 wins and average 13.02 in the heats
19: Imaikalani deVault (HAV) – 10,725 and 4 wins and average 9.28
20: Gabriel Medina (BRA) – 10,075
21: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) – 9,660
22: Ian Gentil (HAV) – 9,010
——-Brazilians outside the top-22:
25th: Samuel Pupo (SP) – 7,310 and 3 wins and average 11.94
26th: Miguel Pupo (SP) – 7,310 and 3 wins and average 11.33
29th: Caio Ibelli (SP) – 6,245
32nd: Deivid Silva (SP) – 4,255
34th: João Chianca (RJ) – 1,060
35th: Filipe Toledo (SP) – 265