In what can only be called the beginning of a family dynasty, 24-year-old Australian Ethan Ewing has won the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Ewing’s victory comes exactly 40 years after his mother Helen Ewing, a trailblazer in women’s surfing, won the same event. “It’s been my biggest goal in my career to win this,” said a visibly emotional Ewing after his win. “All my heroes have won this,” he added. For Ewing, it was an honour to claim the biggest win of his career in the same location where his mother found glory. “To put my name up there with her – it’s really special.”
While he’s been rising up the pro surfing ranks for the last few years, Ewing had a slow start to the 2023 season. But he was unstoppable on his way to victory at Bells Beach. Eliminating three-time world champion Gabriel Medina in the round of 16, fending off South African Matthew McGillivray in the quarters and besting defending world champion Filipe Toledo in the semis. Fellow Australian Ryan Callinan’s best efforts in the final weren’t enough to prevent the dynamic Ewing from claiming to his second WSL title. “It was definitely the biggest win of my career to date,” Ewing said.
The result moves Ewing up to fourth place in the WSL rankings after four events this season. Fellow Aussie Jack Robinson’s disappointing performance has seen him knocked off his pedestal at the top spot in the rankings, moving down to second. While 30-year-old Ryan Callinan’s runner up finish moves him up to an impressive seventh in the rankings. The top 10 now features three Australian surfers, with another four within the midseason cut-off line.
Ethan and his mother Helen have now become the first mother and son to win at the same WSL event. Helen Ewing was a force in the early days of women’s surfing. Proving the sport wasn’t reserved for men and opening the door for future generations. However, Helen’s career as a surfer didn’t last. After winning at Bells beach and the Hang Ten Pro in California at the age of only 18, she retired early, unable to pursue a career in surfing without further financial support. Helen would later return to the sport but tragically died of breast cancer in 2005, when Ethan was just six years of age.
Helen’s influence on Ethan has evidently made a lasting impact, as he dedicated his victory to his mother. “I’ve been thinking about her since I’ve been on tour. I wanted to do her proud.” Teary-eyed, Ewing sent a message to everyone at home. “I just want to say to everyone out there, tell your mum you love them, because you never know what life throws at you.”
Ewing will hope to continue his hot run of form at the Margaret River Pro at the end of this month but will face a heavy challenge in overcoming fellow Australian Jack Robinson in the world number two’s hometown event. The Margaret River Pro is the final event before the mid-season cut-off, which will see the field narrowed down to just 20 surfers. All seven Australian surfers in the WSL are currently ahead of the cut-off line.
