This win worth a shout!
Brazilian lifts Bells title as fabulous Fanning bows out in style
THE 57th edition of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach will go down in the history books as one of the most memorable Bells Easter Classics of all time.
Four-time Bells winner Mick Fanning ensured a fairytale ending to his illustrious career and the event when he finished runner-up to rising star Italo Ferreira in the Rip Curl Pro finals earlier this week.
Despite being at the top of his game, Fanning, 36, declared ahead of the event that he would step away from full-time competition and he now heads into retirement with his head held high as a current world number three.
“Today was really special,” said Fanning after his podium finish in glorious waves.
“I always said I wanted to finish the year up here at Bells. Thanks so much to everyone. It has been incredible to see all the support in Torquay and the support of the fans.
“This is my 20th year of coming down to Bells Beach. I just want to thank my family for all the support you’ve shown over these years. Thank you to my friends that have flown down and making this so memorable. It’s been an amazing career, and I want to thank everyone.”
While Fanning’s retirement celebrations overshadowed Ferreira’s emphatic win, the goofy-footed Brazilian still couldn’t have chosen a better event to win and showcase his true potential to the surfing world.
Ferreira’s first Bells win is also his first Championship Tour win and it certainly won’t be his last for the 23-year-old who shares equal first place with Australian Julian Wilson atop the Jeep Leaderboard world rankings.
The high flying Brazilian, who started out surfing by borrowing his cousins’ surfboards, burst onto the Championship Tour in 2015 and finished a remarkable seventh place in the world in his rookie season.
“I can’t believe it,” said Ferreira of his Bells victory.
“I started slow (in the final), but after that it was amazing. Mick is one of my favourite surfers in the world. But wow, I can’t believe it. That was unbelievable.
“I just want to say thank you God and my family and my girlfriend and every guy that has supported me. I’m just so happy that this is my job. Mick is one of my favourites; he is my hero. Mick is the best competitor, and I just want to say thanks to Mick.”
Equal third went to American Patrick Gudauskas Brazil’s and Gabriel Medina, who fell to Fanning and Ferreira respectively in the semi-finals.
South Africa’s title hopes were pinned on rookie Michael February and 2017 Bells winner Jordy Smith, but both fell from title contention in the early rounds.
February suffered a broken surfboard in has clash with Portugal’s Frederico Morais which threw him out of rhythm in Round 2, while Smith lost narrowly to Australian Wade Carmichael in Round 3.
Smith’s defeat came on the back of another Round 3 loss in the season opener, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, and the former world number two now finds himself languishing in equal 22nd place in the world rankings alongside Kolohe Andino of the US and Aussie Joel Parkinson.
The tour now heads to Western Australia for the Margaret River Pro, the third and final stop on the Australian leg of the WSL where two-time world champ John John Florence from Hawaii and Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia will be out to defend their titles.