Bells Beach Day 5: Unexpected Eliminations and Brazilian Standouts Head to Quarterfinals
- Ayelet Fuentes Guerra
- 18 hours ago
- 2 min read
The fifth day of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Bonsoy began at Winkipop, Australia, with key and intense matchups determining the surfers who advanced to the quarterfinals.
Conditions featured three- to four-foot surf with offshore winds, creating an ideal setting for the event, which began around 8:05 AM (AEST) with the continuation of Heat 6 in the women's division, followed by the start of the men's Round 3.
Heading into the day, attention was focused on defending champion Isabella Nichols, who was beginning her 2026 season after a standout 2025 campaign in which she won the GWM Aussie Treble and achieved the best ranking of her career.
Intense battles conclude the women's action
In Round 2, veteran Lakey Peterson defeated 2025 Rookie of the Year Erin Brooks in a very close heat. Another highlight matchup featured 2024 World Champion Caitlin Simmers, who defeated 2026 rookie Nadia Erostarbe with a score of 11.20 to 10.56.
In the final women's heat, defending event champion Isabella Nichols faced five-time World Champion Carissa Moore, who fell to the Australian by just one point in one of the most anticipated matchups of the day.
With these surprising Round of 16 eliminations, other standout competitors also exited the event, including Tyler Wright, Sally Fitzgibbons, Alyssa Spencer, Anat Lelior, and Francisca Veselko.
Brazilian Storm takes center stage in the men's round
The men's Round 3 progressed quickly from the opening to the final heat, with a strong presence from the Brazilian Storm, which featured seven surfers among the 16 competitors. The day began with a solid performance from Miguel Pupo, who defeated the last remaining Australian, George Pittar, thanks to two excellent scores in the second half of the heat.
One of the most anticipated matchups of the day was the showdown between three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina and 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira, both Brazilian stars. Medina secured the win to advance to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, other Brazilian Storm members, including Samuel Pupo and reigning World Champion Yago Dora, also secured their spots in the next round.
In a day marked by intensity and Brazilian dominance, the surfers eliminated from the competition included Italo Ferreira, Filipe Toledo, Alejo Muniz, George Pittar, Jordy Smith, Jake Marshall, Marco Mignot, and Rio Waida.
Looking ahead, the forecast indicates that the swell will continue to build, potentially offering ideal conditions to determine the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach champions in a promising final.
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