USUAL SUSPECTS DOMINATE DAY ONE OF THE RIP CURL PRO AT BELLS BEACH

BELLS BEACH, Australia (Tuesday, Apr. 3, 2007) –Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro presented by Snickers saw proven Bells Beach performers dominate proceedings in the four to six foot (one to one half metre) and slightly onshore conditions on offer today.

Former champions and perennial Top 5 Foster's ASP World Tour surfers Kelly Slater (USA), Andy Irons (HAW), Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Mick Fanning (AUS) made their way through the opening round of the event with ease and will advance straight to Round 3.

Slater and Parkinson, both of whom made the Rip Curl Pro final last year, tied for the day's highest single wave score: 9.17 out of 10.00. Slater may have come out on top last year, but the eight-time world champ pointed to Parkinson as the surfer to beat after watching him the heat before.

"He did a really nice cutback to finish his 9.17 off," Slater said. "He disappeared going back into the white water and then flew out again – it was a good ride. Parko has got to expect to do well here, if you look at his record in the past five years – it's better then anybody's."

Parkinson, who won the Rip Curl Pro in 2004, finished equal 5th in the first event of the year on the Gold Coast and is looking to back up that result with a similar or better finish at Bells.

"I definitely consider this event one of my strengths and I love surfing down here," Parkinson said. "Every year I seem to pull a result out of here. I can't count my chickens yet but I'll try my hardest."

Also trying hard to back up his No. 1 finish on the season opener is 2001 Rip Curl Pro Champion Fanning. Posting the highest heat score of the day (17.00 out of 20.00), Fanning's total equaled the sum of his competitors' with local wildcard Nic Muscroft (AUS) earning 10.00 out of 20.00 and Josh Kerr (AUS) posting 7.00 out of a possible 20.00 points.

Fanning and Kerr met in the Quarterfinals of the Gold Coast event last month and, between the two of them, put together one of the highest scoring heats in professional surfing history. Fanning narrowly won the heat and went on to win the event. He rode that confidence into his Round 1 romp with Kerr today.

"I just treated Kerr like anybody else," Fanning said. "That one heat on the Gold Coast was pretty incredible but I just went out there and did what I'd normally do against anyone else today – it didn't really bother me."

In a polar-opposite scenario, Irons finished last in the season opener and didn't take any chances in his heat against wildcard Matt Wilkinson (AUS). [NB: Greg Emslie, who was also seeded to surf in Irons and Wilkinson's heat, missed Round 1 due to the impending birth of his first child. Emslie will still try to make it to Bells to surf Round 2].

"It was really important for me to avoid Round 2 today," Irons said. "There was about two minutes left and Wilkinson needed a 7.00. I wasn't going to give him any chances. I paddled up the point so he wouldn't get a wave underneath me. Things happen, and it's happened to me before so I wasn't going to give him a chance to get through."
Current World No. 3 Taj Burrow (AUS) squeaked through his heat over rookies Luke Munro (AUS) and Ben Dunn (AUS) today with a last minute victory today.

"I'm lucky to come out with a win in that heat," Burrow said. "It was chunky and just hard to find a clean face to get some nice turns off. I fell a couple of times and just struggled to find that right wave. It was really close and those guys were surfing really good; it was a nail biter for me that's for sure."

Also straight to Round 3 is Bede Durbidge (AUS) who finished runner-up to Fanning on the Gold Coast. Durbidge used the momentum from that result to blast past Hawaii's Fred Pattachia and crowd favorite and former Bells Beach winner Mark Occhilupo (AUS).

"I'm still the dark horse; everybody still treats me the same" Durbidge said. "I have no sponsor so I'm just going to keep working and keep climbing those ratings. It's so prestigious this comp; it would be awesome to get on that podium and ring that Bell."

French rookie Jeremy Flores, Brazilians Adriano de Souza and Leonardo Neves and Travis Logie of South Africa also advanced through their Round 1 heats today.

Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach Round 1 Results – 1st advances to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd surf Round 2
Heat 1: Chris Ward (USA) 14.33; Dean Morrison (AUS) 11.10; Royden Bryson (ZAF) 8.67
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.50; Taylor Knox (USA) 11.24; Dayyan Neve (AUS) 8.83
Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.50; Kai Otton (AUS) 8.00; Neco Padaratz (BRA) DNS
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.66; Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.77; Bernado Pigmeu (BRA) 9.13
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.67; Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 14.44; Gabe Kling (USA) 10.84
Heat 6: Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.67; Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 10.83; Bobby Martinez (USA) 8.50
Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.36; Luke Munro (AUS) 12.67; Ben Dunn (AUS) 11.17
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.84; Mick Campbell (AUS) 9.17; Owen Wright (AUS) 6.00
Heat 9: Andy Irons (HAW) 13.66; Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.07; Greg Emslie (ZAF) DNS
Heat 10: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.00; Nic Muscroft (AUS) 10.00; Josh Kerr (AUS) 7.00
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.00; Cory Lopez (USA) 10.17; Luke Stedman (AUS) 7.84
Heat 12: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 12.93; Phil MacDonald (AUS) 12.84; Troy Brooks (AUS) 11.27
Heat 13: Bruce Irons (HAW) 14.23; Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 10.83; Victor Ribas (BRA) 6.10
Heat 14: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.33; Fred Patacchia (HAW) 12.10; Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 11.16
Heat 15: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 13.16; CJ Hobgood (USA) 12.07; Mick Lowe (AUS) 6.13
Heat 16: Danny Wills (AUS) 15.93; Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 8.03; Trent Munro (AUS) 4.17

FOSTER'S 45 SURFING ROUND ONE OF THE RIP CURL PRO TODAY

BELLS BEACH, Australia (Tuesday, Apr. 3, 2007) – Round 1 of stop No. 2 on the Foster's ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro presented by Snickers, will commence at Bells Beach at 7:30am today.

Contest officials will take advantage of the four to six foot (one half to three metre) sets rolling through Bells Bowl and run the first 16 heats of the men's competition today.

First up will be Dean Morrison (AUS), Chris Ward (USA) and Royden Bryson (ZAF). Check the draw below for a full list of today's lineup!

RIP CURL PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS
HEAT 1: Dean Morrison (AUS), Chris Ward (USA), Royden Bryson (ZAF)
HAET 2: Taylor Knox (USA), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Davyan Neeve (AUS)
HEAT 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
HEAT 4: Damien Hobgood (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bernardo Miranda (BRA)
HEAT 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Gabe Kling (USA)
HEAT 6: Bobby Martinez (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
HEAT 7: Taj Burrow (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Luke Munro (AUS)
HEAT 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Michael Campbell (AUS), Owen Wright (AUS)
HEAT 9: Andy Irons (HAW), Greg Emslie (ZAF), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
HEAT 10: Mick Fanning (AUS), Josh Kerr (AUS), Nick Muscroft (AUS)
HEAT 11: Cory Lopez (USA), Luke Stedman (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS)
HEAT 12: Phillip MacDonald (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Troy Brooks (AUS)
HEAT 13: Bruce Irons (HAW),Ricky Basnett (ZAF), Victor Ribas (BRA)
HEAT 14: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Mark Occhilupo AUS
HEAT 15: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Michael Lowe (AUS)
HEAT 16: Daniel Wills (AUS), Shaun Cansdell (AUS), Trent Munro (AUS)

RIP CURL PRO AT BELLS BEACH COULD KICK OFF TOMORROW

BELLS BEACH, Australia (Monday, Apr. 2, 2007) – The official waiting period for the 35th Annual Rip Curl Pro presented by Snickers begins tomorrow but the world's best surfers were on site and gathered around the illustrious 'Bell' trophy at Bells Beach today.

Former event champions Kelly Slater (USA), Andy Irons (HAW) and Mick Fanning (AUS) voiced their collective desires to ring the bell again this year and with a solid swell on the way, they may have the opportunity to get started on their quests as soon as tomorrow.

Slater, who hasn't won an event since the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach last year, will surpass Tom Curren's 33 event wins record with a victory at Bells. A win will also keep current World No. 1 Fanning from increasing his lead, something the eight-time world champion is eager to do in his quest for his ninth world crown.

"Mick won the first event of the year and he's just such a focused guy," Slater said. "He's got a real fire burning to win the world title this year. He's started out perfectly so far and this is a good event for him. I know that Mick is looking at this one as an important event because Teahupoo hasn't been one of his best events, so he needs to stay ahead while he's there and capitalize on it."

Fanning knows that Slater is all too right and despite winning the first event of the year and entering Bells in pole position, will not be resting on his laurels.

"It's good to win the first event of the year but it's only one event and you still have to go and back it up with seven more results," Fanning said. "It's a good start but the guys on tour can come from anywhere so I have to stay on top of my game. It's a new event and everyone is on a level playing field again – we all have to start from Round 1. All I can do is go out there and surf and hopefully I surf well."

Irons, who won the Rip Curl Pro in 2002 and 2003, is looking for a solid result at Bells after suffering a shock last place finish on the Gold Coast.

"You can't win them all," Irons said. "I went home and recharged the battery so I'm feeling a bit better now, I've had some time to get over it. It's definitely crucial for me to get a result here now. Bells has been good to me in past years, so hopefully I can do well here this year, regain that confidence and take it into Tahiti."

Local surfer Nic Muscroft (AUS) won the Victoria The Place To Be Trials to earn the final wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro today. Muscroft made his way in the main event via trials victories in 2003 and 2006 as well, but has never advanced past Round 2.

"Last year I felt like I was surfing pretty good," Muscroft said. "I had a pretty good heat score in Round 2 against CJ Hobgood (USA) which was good for my confidence, so hopefully I can go out there, surf well and make it through this year."

Muscroft will meet Fanning and Foster's ASP World Tour rookie Josh Kerr (AUS) in Round 1.

Chelsea Hedges (AUS) will enter the Rip Curl Women's Pro as the ASP Women's World Tour ratings leader – a luxury the 2005 World Champion has never enjoyed before.

"I've never had a really good start at the beginning of the year so it's definitely a different feeling," Hedges said. "It's a good feeling to have a win under your belt, but like Mick said, it's only the second event of the year and there are several events to go. At the same time, I'm feeling confident and really excited about getting into the second event."

Reigning world champion Layne Beachley (AUS) spoke on behalf of the Top 17 when she expressed her gratitude to event sponsor Rip Curl for bring the women back to Bells. She spoke on behalf of herself when she announced her intentions at the event.

"Bells is one of the favorite events of all the girls on tour and I know there are a couple of girls who haven't competed here on the pro tour so it's very exciting for women's surfing to be back here," Beachley said. "I'm the owner of three bells and I hope to be the owner of four by the end of the weekend."