After years of trying to win a World Surf League tour event, Australia's Matt Wilkinson has now claimed two victories in a month.
The NSW surfer holds a hefty lead in the world tour rankings after he defeated South Africa's Jordy Smith to secure the iconic Bells Beach crown for the first time in his career.
Wilkinson was unstoppable on Sunday, eliminating Brazilians Wiggolly Dantas and Italo Ferreira before simply outgunning Smith in the final.
Back-to-back waves midway through the final gave him a 9.20 and an 8.17 for a two-wave score of 17.37 out of 20.
It was a combination Smith had no response to, leaving a stunned Wilkinson to soak in the victory on the beach.
Sharing a hug with four-time event winner Mick Fanning, who was knocked out by Smith in the semi-finals, Wilkinson's win clearly had yet to sink in for the 27-year-old.
"What's going on?," a bemused Wilkinson screamed into Fanning's ear.
The victory means Wilkinson is the first goofy-footer to win Bells since Mark Occhilupo in 1998 and makes it a hat-trick of victories in 2016 after winning the Australian Open of Surfing before last month's tour opener at Snapper Rocks.
"This year I just seem to keep picking up trophies," he said.
"Which makes me feel pretty good ... I've always wanted to win it (Bells) and finally got my chance. I'm so stoked."
The victory means Wilkinson has gone from first-time tour event winner at the Gold Coast last month to genuine title contender heading into the final leg of the Australian swing at Margaret River in Western Australia.
Not that Wilkinson is accepting his current status as the world's best surfer just yet.
"When I paddle out for a heat I'm terrified of every body I'm up against," Wilkinson said.
"I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing.
"Try and not make any mistakes and throw everything into every wave I catch, see what happens."
Share
