The Rip Curl Women's Pro presented by Ford Fiesta is Stop 2 of 8 on the 2009 ASP Women's World Tour calendar and a favorite for many of this year's competitors.
The official Women's waiting period runs from April 8 to 13, which means that one of the girls will be chaired up the beach to 'ring the Bell' on the Easter weekend.
The additional financial backing injected by the Rip Curl, Ford and the Victorian Government, the Rip Curl Women's Pro is at Bells to stay for a long time coming...
The Rip Curl Women's Pro will feature the world's top 17 ASP surfers plus one Wildcard who will win entry via a Trials event on April 6.
Reigning two-time ASP Women's World Champion Stephanie Gilmore comes into the contest as hot favourite after winning the Bell for the past two years. Her silky big-carving style is a perfect fit for Bells and her knowledge of the break is second-to-none.
Peruvian surfer Sofia Mulanovich won the event in 2005 and has finished runner-up for the past two years. She loves the wave and is determined to get revenge on Steph this year.
Natural footers have won all but one of the Rip Curl Women's Pro events at Bells Beach (Neridah Falconer in 2001 was the exception), but this year's event could possibly turn out another victory for the goofy-footers. Former World Champ Chelsea Hedges is back on Tour, 2006 ASP Rookie of the Year Jessi Miley-Dyer surfs Bells like Occy and ASP rookie Paige Hareb (the first ever New Zealander to make the ASP Women's World Tour) has an awesome back-hand attack. The trio are ready to cause upsets, so keep watch on them this Easter...
Prize Money: US$90,000
1st: US$12,000
2nd: US$7,000
3rd: US$6,000
5th: US$5,000
9th: US$4,000
17th: US$3,500
Bells Beach has been home to the Rip Curl Pro for 37 years and the event has become a treasured tradition for thousands of surfing fans and holiday-makers alike.
The world's best male and female surfers (top 17 women on ASP World Tour) hold centre-stage for the entire April 7 to 18 event window battling each other and Mother Nature in hope of climbing the podium to ring the Bell.
The surfers will share the spotlight with a host of Australia's best musicians come Easter Saturday and Sunday, when we fire up the Live Music Stage in the Bells Beach carpark.
Rip Curl Pro to utilise NEW ASP World Tour Format
The 2009 Men's Rip Curl Pro will be the world's first surfing event to apply the new ASP World Tour sudden death format. No more three-man heats and no losers round It is man-on-man the whole way!
The new format will seed the Top 16 rated male surfers into Round 2, while the back 32 (including the Wildcards) will be seeded into 16 man-on-man heats in Round 1.
The Top 17 Women on the ASP World Tour
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