Surf champs head to Bells
Brazilian world champions Filipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina and Ítalo Ferreira publicly said goodbye to family as they head to the Bells Beach event in Australia, signaling strong coastal vibes and big‑stakes competition ahead of the April contest (SurfNewsBrasil) (x.com). The posts frame the trip as that exact mix of beach downtime and high‑adrenaline sport many travelers chase — surf, travel, local culture rolled into one (SurfNewsBrasil) (x.com).
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach event window is scheduled for April 1–11, 2026 and the tournament will serve as the opening stop on the 2026 World Championship Tour. (ripcurl.com) This edition is being billed as the 63rd running of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, continuing a streak that dates back to the event’s origins in the 1960s. (surfingvic.com) Filipe Toledo entered the 2026 season as the 2023 WSL world champion, Gabriel Medina is a three‑time WSL champion (2014, 2018, 2021), and Ítalo Ferreira won the WSL world title in 2019. (surfertoday.com) Gabriel Medina was granted a 2026 season wildcard after missing competition in 2025, a move that restores a three‑time world champion to full event access for Bells and the rest of the Tour. (surfer.com) Brazilian outlets reporting WSL point snapshots have listed Ítalo Ferreira near the top of recent standings with 29,960 points and Filipe Toledo with 16,035 points in a published ranking summary. (esportelandia.com.br) All three have strong Bells histories: Ítalo Ferreira won the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach final in April 2018, and Filipe Toledo claimed the men's title at Bells in April 2022, while Medina has posted some of the event’s highest two‑wave totals in recent years. (worldsurfleague.com) Organizers note 2026 also marks major Calendar changes for the Championship Tour and the 50th year of professional surfing, meaning Bells’ role as season opener comes with altered points and qualification mechanics for the remainder of the year. (ripcurl.com.au)
