Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2012

no.

be there

0 o6

Kelly Slater

Photo: Macfarlane

If you build it, they will come.

The Bells arena.

02

03

Photo: C. Wilson

M AT T W I L K I N S O N

T H e m i r ag e F r e e L i n e e x p e r i e n c e

m i r a g e - r i p c U r L . c O m

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief

Taylor Paul

Managing Editor

beau Flemister Assistant Editor Nate Zoller

Photo Editor

peter taras Associate Photo Editor

jimmy wilson

Art Director chato aganza Associate Art Director

Noa Emberson

Online Editor 06

jason miller

photography by

Duncan Macfarlane

Corey Wilson

Kolohe. Photos: C. Wilson

07

Binnsie. Photo: C. Wilson

TABLE OF CONTE 08

TABLE OF CONTENTS

010 - Whistles and Bells 038 - CLear as a Bell 072 - Tres Belle

084 - For Whom the Bell Tolls

E

ENTS

09

c

010

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1

Whistles and Bells

(Early rounds)

011

Welcome back. Photo: Macfarlane

012

Jordy Smith loves Bells; it’s basically J-Bay’s pudgier, slightly less-revered cousin. Jordy, more cushion for the pushin’. Photos: Macfarlane

013

014

So long as nobody’s blocking your view, the competitor’s area at Bells is the best place to watch the competition. Kelly, blocking peoples’ views. Photo: C. Wilson

015

Adam Robertson and Josh KerR, a few steps above everyone else. Photo: Macfarlane

016

017

018

9.73

Some were calling this air by Josh Kerr the best one ever done in a competition at Bells. It’s a title Kerr would hold for two more rounds (because Kelly hates letting people hold titles). Photo: C. Wilson

019

Joel Parkinson and Kolohe andino. Photo: Macfarlane

020

Jordy Smith and CJ Hobgood. Photo: Macfarlane

021

Look at how long CJ’s left hand touches the wave. Pivoting perfection. Photos: C. Wilson

022

023

024

The girls are going to miss those curls, John John.

We don’t care much, so long as you keep surfing like you do. Photos: C. Wilson

025

026

027

From the announcer’s cheat sheet. Choose one: -Jams it under the lip -Biiiig drop wallet -Huuuge slash

Kelly, just surfing well. Photo: C. Wilson

028

029

Photo: Macfarlane

030

031

Keys. Contact lens. A dime. His phone. A validated parking stub. Chapstick. All things Jeremy Flores might have dropped, besides his wallet. Photo: Macfarlane

032

033

Bells, #lookingtheotherway. Photo: Macfarlane

034

“Taj! Taj! Write on me.� Mr. Burrow leaves his mark on waves, children. Photos: (above) C. Wilson (right) Macfarlane

035

036

If you say “Kai Otton” five times fast it starts to sound like “Cotton.” That’s of no relevance to Kai’s Quarterfinal finish. But good job, Kai. Photo: Macfarlane

037

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038

Josh Kerr. Photo: Macfarlane

clear as a bell

(pretty pictures, pretty people)

039

040

&

Yadin Nicol

041

&

Mick fanning. Photos: C. Wilson (Exploring the Bells bushes)

042

Winkipopular

043

Photo: Macfarlane

044

A squeeky-clean slob. Kolohe Andino, Winkipop. Photos: Macfarlane

045

046

047

Owen WRight. Photo: Macfarlane

048

049

Photo: C. Wilson

050

A great ocean. Photo: C. Wilson

051

Double-overhead airs: Core Score Up. Pat Gudauskas.

Photo: Macfarlane

052

053

054

055

Easter Sunday down the Great Ocean Road. Photo: Macfarlane

056

Pat Gudauskas.

Photo: C. Wilson

057

058

Photo: Macfarlane

059

Photo: C. Wilson

060

061

Photos: C. Wilson

062

C. Wilson

Having a feed

Macfarlane

063

C. Wilson

C. Wilson

064

Davey Cathels (before), Nick Pollet, Matt Wilkinson.

065

Davey Cathels (after). Photos: C. Wilson

066

067

Wilko. Photos: C. Wilson

068

Photos: C. Wilson 069

070

Mean streets of Melbourne. Photos: C. Wilson

071

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072

Do not mistake her cuteness for weakness. Sally Fitzgibbons.

Photo: C. Wilson

r

3

tres belle (Girls)

073

074

Team Sally!

Photo: Macfarlane

075

Team Steph!

076

077

Steph Gilmore’s back. She’s already banked two firsts this year, and dropped a worthy 10 on the way to the finals at Bells.

078

Photo: C. Wilson

When Steph pulls the jersey over her head, her face goes from giggles (above) to laser focus (right). A beautiful lightswitch, Steph is.

079

Photo: Macfarlane

Sally, en route to the final. A final she would dominate, a bell she would ring. Photo: C. Wilson

New photo, please

080

081

082

083

Look at that crowd. There must be over 100 unique images of this very moment. Sally, triumphant and getting it from all angles.

Photos: Macfarlane

c

084

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4

for whom the bell tolls (mick’s turns vs kelly’s air)

085

Photo: C. Wilson

mick, me time

086

Any psychologists reading?

What does the location of your pre-heat “me time� say about you? Photo: Macfarlane

kelly, me time

087

Photo: C. Wilson

Mick’s turn three

088

Photo: Macfarlane

089

Mick’s turn two

090

091

Photo: C. Wilson

092

Photos: Macfarlane

Kelly’s air...

093

...10

094

095

Mick’s turn one...won.

096

Photo: Macfarlane

097

Five stages of winning 098

1 Disbelieving

099

Photo: Macfarlane

2 accepting

0100

0101

Photo: Macfarlane

3 buzzing

0102

Photo: C. Wilson

4 sharing

0103

Photo: C. Wilson

Photo: Macfarlane

ring

5

Photo: Macfarlane