Veteran Aussie surf star Sally Fitzgibbons needed to take a moment on her board in the surf at Winky Pop after causing the biggest upset 2025 by taking down reigning world champ, and reigning Bells Beach champ, Caty Simmers.
Fitzgibbons, in her 15th outing at Bells where she ranks thirds all-time for heat wins, stunned onlookers with a brilliant start in their round of 16 clash before holding out Simmers, the event favourite.
It was Fitzgibbons best performance of the season, including her highest rating wave so far of 2025, storming in to the quarter-finals and eliminating Simmers.
The emotional win of the 34-year-old, a two-time runner-up at Bells who sits 15th on the rankings, came after fellow Aussie and world No.3 Molly Picklum was eliminated, also in the round of 16 in another big upset.
Picklum was beaten by 12th tranked Luana Silva from Brazil in the first heat of the day as the women got back in the surf after a lay day on Wednesday.
Silva is the junior world champion competing on the Championship Tour for the first time.
Picklum hit Bells Beach having reached the final four in all four World Surf League rounds so far this season and finishing runner-up in two of them.
But after finishing second at Bells two years ago, she failed to make last year’s quarter-finals and again will watch the finals from the sidelines.
