molly picklum moved through to the semifinals at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Presented by Bonsoy after testy conditions forced event organizers to call off the day on Thursday, April 9, 2026, with an updated call posted for Friday, April 10, 2026 ET. The reigning world champion beat Lakey Peterson in the women’s quarterfinals and will now meet defending event winner Isabella Nichols in an all-Australian semifinal. The event is now waiting on a looming swell, with the next call set for 6: 45 a. m. AEST, which is 4: 45 p. m. ET on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
molly picklum keeps control at Winkipop
The women’s field got through only one full round of quarterfinal action before the day was shut down. Picklum delivered the headline performance, continuing to pick apart Winkipop and taking a clear win over Lakey Peterson to stamp her place in the semifinals.
Nichols then held firm in a tense exchange against 2024 event winner and world champion Caity Simmers, using razor-sharp precision to secure her spot in the last four. The result sets up a fully Australian semifinal that gives the Bells Beach crowd a marquee matchup in the women’s draw.
The men managed just one heat before the call-off. Miguel Pupo advanced over Hawaiian powerhouse Barron Mamiya, while Yago Dora, Gabriel Medina and Samuel Pupo still remained in line to join him in the semifinals.
Officials stop play as conditions turn testy
Event organizers made the call to end competition after intense women’s and opening men’s quarterfinal heats. The stoppage came as the contest moved toward a finals day that now depends on how the swell develops.
The updated timing kept the focus on the next check-in, with the event waiting for conditions to improve before any more heats can run. The pressure now sits on the remaining contenders, with Bell Beach still offering a pathway to the title if the ocean cooperates.
Reactions from the contenders
Picklum’s performance added another strong chapter to her Bells Beach campaign, while Nichols again showed the calm and control that carried her through a late exchange for the second straight day. The matchup between the two Australians is the clearest remaining draw in the women’s event.
On the men’s side, Pupo’s result gave his season a dream start, though the rest of the semifinal field was still being decided when the day was called.
What comes next for Bells Beach
The event now waits on the next official call and the looming swell before semifinals and finals can be completed. If conditions hold, Picklum will return to face Nichols with a place in the final on the line, and the women’s bracket will again center on molly picklum as the day’s main storyline. For now, the field is on hold, and the waiting game at Bells Beach continues.
