A revitalised board-rider from the Sunshine Coast is savouring victory at one of surfing’s most iconic events.
Isabella Nichols, who hails from Coolum Beach, saluted in the world tour event at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in Victoria on Sunday.
She claimed the biggest victory of her career by downing young Brazilian star Luana Silva 16.26 points to 12.67 in the final.
Nichols’ title triumph came after the 27-year-old only made her way back on to the Championship Tour this year, via the qualifying series.
She advanced all the way to the final of this month’s El Salvador Pro – after making the heartbreaking decision to miss her twin sister Helena’s wedding – then went one better with victory over Silva on Sunday at the famous Victorian break.
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“The process for this win has honestly been a 15-year process,” Nichols said.
“I’ve been coming here since I was 15 years old.
“All the trips down here, three times a year to come down and work on my technique and it’s all paid off.
“To have a bell, honestly this does not feel real … I’m speechless.”
Nichols’ only other victory on the CT came three years ago at the Margaret River Pro.
She missed the tour’s mid-season cut last year but fought her way back to the top tier for 2025, via the Challenger Series.
The Hawaiian-born Silva, 20, won the world junior title this year, the same event that Nichols saluted at back in 2016.
Earlier on Sunday, Nichols took down her celebrated countrywoman and two-time world champ Tyler Wright in the semis.
Fellow Australian Jack Robinson won the men’s event.
The 27-year-old has now won eight CT events in the past four years, with many of those triumphs coming at the sport’s most hallowed venues, including Pipeline, Teahupo’o, G-Land – and now Bells Beach.
The Paris Olympics silver medallist left it late before edging out Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi 14.14 to 13.87.
