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Although the Rip Curl Pro was postponed, eager beach goers, admitted free of charge, have gathered at Bells for the Easter Festival on what is still a beautiful sunny day.
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SPC Fruit Pro
Rip Curl Pro
Rip Curl GromSearch International Final
Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia
March 21-April 1
LIVE WEBCAST & LIVE RIP CURL PRO WEBSITE: www.ripcurl.com and www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL PRO MOVES TO PHILLIP ISLAND
Monday, March 28th, 2005 - In the face of continuing small swell and forecast onshore winds at Bells Beach, the Rip Curl Pro is re-locating to Phillip Island on Victoriia's east coast. The Foster's Men's World Tour Top 45 and Rip Curl wild cards met in the c ompetitor's area at Bells at midday today, and after lengthy discussions, it was decided that the event will re-convene for a start at Woolamai Beach on Phillip Island at 7am tomorrow morning.
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In the face of continuing small swell and forecast onshore winds at Bells Beach, the Rip Curl Pro is re-locating to Phillip Island on Victoria's east coast.
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Event organisers have had trusted scouts checking conditions all day today on Phillip Island, as well as west along the Great Ocean Road at Johanna. Phillip Island is considered the best option, expected to have waves good enough to complete the 48-man draw in the four remaining days of the waiting period.
Event Director Max Wells reported to the surfers that Woolamai Beach has four good breaks, and is most likely to be the location where the event will be completed.
Surfers left the event compound shortly thereafter to pack up their quivers and take on the Easter Monday traffic for the four-hour drive to Phillip Island, which is 137 kilometres east of Melbourne.
"It's interesting - a huge undertaking to move the entire event over there to Phillip Island, but we're stuck in a bit of a corner right now since we've been here for a week without having surfed a heat. With only four days left in the waiting period we need to use every day, and so we really have no option," commented South African Greg Emslie.
"Yes, we'll have to wait and see if the move pays off, but I've never been there before, so I'm amped to check it out," added his Durban mate and Top 45 rookie Travis Logie.
"It's a heavy call to have to make," said former Torquay local, now Gold Coast resident and WCT surfer Troy Brooks.
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Mason Ho (Haw) defeated Sth Africa's Jordy Smith in the Rip Curl GromSearch final. The waves at Bells were too small to run the WCT, so while this final was happening, the mammoth task of relocating to a nearby quality beachbreak at Woolamai Beach was underway.
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"The surf would probably be bigger down at Johanna, but the beach breaks at Woolamai are usually really good, and the place caters for wind from every direction, so hopefully we've made the right decision," added Brooks.
Get online at www.ripcurl.com to keep up to date with the latest developments in the Rip Curl Pro.
Pray for surf!
The Rip Curl Pro is Australia's longest running professional surfing event and holds a proud place in surfing folklore, stretching back to 1973. The Rip Curl Pro's status as one of six Victorian Government-designated Hallmark International Sporting Events each year, alongside the Melbourne Formula One and Phillip Island Motorcycle Grand Prix, the Australian Tennis Open, the Melbourne Cup and the AFL Grand Final, is an acknowledgment of its contribution to the state's rich sporting culture.
The Rip Curl Pro is proudly presented by Deakin University, associated with Surfing Victoria, the Surf Coast Shire Council, the Victorian Government Department of Tourism, Sport & The Commonwealth Games, the Association of Surfing Professionals, Foster's, and supported by sponsors Telstra, Chupa Chups, National Australia Bank, Falls Creek, Schweppes, Four'n Twenty Pies and Tracks.
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