{"id":126057,"date":"2026-04-13T12:42:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T02:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tracksmag.com.au\/?p=126057"},"modified":"2026-04-13T12:42:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T02:42:40","slug":"interview-gabriela-bryan-on-her-big-win-at-bells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tracksmag.com.au\/interview-gabriela-bryan-on-her-big-win-at-bells","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Gabriela Bryan on her Big Win at Bells"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While there has been a lot of talk about the push from the next gen\u2019 of women\u2019s surfers and their progressive capabilities, the first event of the 2026 season was won with an astonishing display of power-surfing. As her competitors reach for the sky, Gabriela Bryan is leaning on a rail and leaving the opposition behind.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before going on to take the event top spot on the podium, Bryan told Tracks she had big plans for the new season. \u201cIt\u2019s a long year with many steps to get there, so I\u2019m just trying to do the best I can in every heat. It\u2019d be super cool to start the year with a win, but mostly I just want to do really good surfing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her dominance was a feature of the event from the moemnt she hit the water. Gabriela\u2019s lowest single score was a 7.0 in the final – the only heat in which she scored under 15 points in total throughout the entire event. Bryan\u2019s precise carves and aggressive snaps at Winkipop inspired hoots and hollers from the crowd, even as they watched the Hawaiian steam past hometown favorite Molly Picklum, in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gabriela Bryan hoisting the Bell with a fitting smile. (Photo by Ed Sloane\/World Surf League)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Picklum finished the event in a combination situation against the Hawaiian and, despite the loss, made it apparent she has carried her momentum from last year\u2019s world title win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new do-or-die, sudden-death format leaves no margin for error, and surfers had to start the Bells Beach competition at their best; unlike some Bryan thrived under the pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, now that we don\u2019t have the non-elimination round, it\u2019s definitely added a bit more fire and you\u2019ve got to be on, which is exciting,\u201d she told Tracks after the final.   \u201cIt makes for really good performances. And yeah, I think that it\u2019s really good. It\u2019s definitely hard, but I\u2019m excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriela\u2019s Bells win builds on her strong history during the Aussie leg of the Tour, claiming her third win Down Under in three consecutive seasons, with the other two titles coming at Margaret River – the next stop on the 2026 schedule. \u201cIt’s super cool to start the year strong and be in the yellow jersey heading into West Oz,\u201d she explained before making an ambitious statement about her plan for the 2026. \u201cThe goal is to stick with it (the yellow jersey) all year. It’s a long year, but I\u2019m really excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Bells, Bryan\u2019s stats told a convincing story. Of the four heats that led her to the title, half were won with her opponents in combination situations. Alyssa Spencer\u2019s scything backhand pushed Bryan in the semis, but she responded with typical spray-throwing gusto when Spencer posted and 8.50. By the end of the heat against Picklum, the crowd wholeheartedly applauded the Hawaiian’s effort at Winkipop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriela will try to take advantage of leading the rankings after the first event in order to bring the world title back to Hawaii for the first time since 2021. \u201cIt would be super cool to bring the world title back home. We have some amazing surfers, and surfing is part of our culture, so that\u2019s my biggest goal – to bring the world title home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Women\u2019s Tour this year is stacked with world champions. With a calendar that demands surfers to be solid in a wide variety of waves, Gabriela sighted consistency as the key to staying in contention for the title. Last year she won three events, that\u2019s one more than world champ Molly Picklum if you discount the now obsolete Finals Day. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are some really good girls on Tour, and it\u2019s going to be really exciting fighting for the win against them, but you\u2019ve got to be good in every event to win it all at the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bryan had a welcome supporter throughout the whole competition. Fellow Hawaiian and five-time world champion Carissa Moore joined Gabriela\u2019s pit-crew on the Winki rocks after losing in her opening heat at Bells. To the casual observer, their relationship felt like family, and they were able to celebrate together right after the clock hit zero this Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriela now waits to see who she\u2019ll face in her opening heat at Margaret River, with Yolanda Hopkins and Brisa Hennessy as the possible matchups. The event window opens on April 16th, and surfers can only hope they don\u2019t have to deal with conditions as challenging as those they faced at Bells\/Winki. Gabriela won at Margarets last year and goes in as favourite, but Picklum is already in close pursuit and equally as fancied in the heavy-water at Margarets \u2013 game on. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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