The first week of 2011 was a turbulent week in the world of professional surfing. On Wednesday 5th January, 2011 Australian surf wear company Quiksilver announced that they had signed Rip Curl surfer Stephanie Gilmore to a new $5 million dollar, 5 year contract. The next day this article about Tyler Wright appeared in The Age heralding a new female face for Rip Curl Australia.The article is significant because it focuses attention on Rip Curl's new female face in the wake of the sudden departure from the company by 4 times World Surfing Champion Stephanie Gilmore.Feature newspaper article from THE AGE, Thursday January 6th, 2011, page 6 by Martin Boulton about the sponsorship contract extension for 16 year old Australian female surfer Tyler Wright to Rip Curl Australia. Includes photographs of Wright surfing and running along beach.surf, quiksilver, stephanie gilmore, tyler wright, rip curl australia

An example of the innovative winged keel design based on the Australia 2 yacht (Americas Cup winner 1982). The Star Fin was a collaboration between Australian pro surfer, Cheyne Horan, and Australia 2 fin designer Ben Lexcen. Horan won 1984 Bells Beach surfing festival riding a board using this fin design. This fin design represents a radical departure from surfboard design thinking at that time (early 1980s) Most people were concentrating on multi fin designs Mark Richards with high performance twin fin designs, then Simon Anderson's 3 fin 'Thruster' design. Cheyne Horan employed the talents of innovative yachting designer Ben Lexcen (who designed the Americas Cup winning Australia 2) to design a unique Star Fin which would provide greater hold for a single fin at critical angles. Horan proved the effectiveness of this design by winning the 1984 Rip Curl Pro at Bells beach using a board mounted with one of the Star Fins. The Star fin represents an unusual (for surfing)scientific and innovative design approach. This is a rare and representative item signed by design instigator Cheyne Horan.Cheyne Horan Star Fin. Moulded polycarbonate red Star Fin. Fin is signed by Cheyne Horan with "HAVE A GOOD SURF FROM Cheyne Horan". Manufacturers and makers information embossed on base. Concept by Cheyne Horan Design by Ben Lexcen Patent Pending STAR FIN Made from Lexan Polycarbonate by Star Fin p/l PO Box 1293 Nth Syd Aust.red, star fin, cheyne horan, ben lexcen, winged keel, bells beach surf contest 1984

First Love is a feature film length surf film that tells the story of three young female surfers. The film follows the lives of Jess, Nikki and India as they follow their passion for surfing growing up together and competing against one another. Surfing brings the girls together but they are all different in their own way. The film culminates in a surf trip to Hawaii where they meet a number of professional female surfers. The film also features surfers Stephanie Gilmore (world champion), Alana Blanchard and Bethany Hamilton. First Love was produced by an all female creative team and officially launched at the Surf World Museum Torquay on 4th April 2010. The film had its festival debut at the DUNGOG FILM FESTIVAL in May 2010 and its international debut at the HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL in October 2010. First Love is the first surf feature film shot in Australia with an all female cast/crew. The film had a national theatrical release across Australia on February 14th, 2011.Full colour film poster for the surf film FIRST LOVE. The poster features a long shot of the main surfers in the film, Jess Laing, Nikki Van Dijk, and India Payne walking along a country road towards the camera carrying their surfboards and wetsuits.Film title, sponsors logos, film makers credits and touring dates for the Autumn 2010 tour of the film.phillip island, surf film, first love, jess laing, nikki van dijk, india payne, stephanie gilmore, bethany hamilton, liquid pictures production, fran derham, clare plueckhahn, claire gormon, rip curl pro

This wetsuit was worn by surfer and 2000 world champion, Sunny Garcia (Haw), It was cut off Sunny when he collapsed on the beach during his heat of the 2004 Rip Curl Pro event at Bells Beach. As the Age reported at the time: "One who left the water in unhappier circumstances was three-time Rip Curl Pro winner Sunny Garcia, who forfeited his heat with American Taylor Knox because of a migraine-like condition that saw him taken to Geelong Hospital for tests. Garcia, who was leading the heat, rode in with nine minutes remaining and appeared to collapse on the beach, holding his head in his hands." This wetsuit was worn during the prestigious Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. It is a rare artefect from a major medical emergency at a world professional surfing contest.Sunny Garcia's wetsuit. Torn Hotline wetsuit, full length 3/2 steamer. Wetsuit is cut and torn.Hotline Wetsuits, Santa Cruz, Calif, Superflex 3/2 modelrip curl pro, wetsuit, sunny garcia, hotline, torn, collapse

This magazine is representative of event guides prepared for the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach each year. This particular event guide features unique artwork by Indigenous artist/surfer Glenn Romanis including an indigenous representation of the world famous Bells Beach 'bell' on the top left hand corner.The 2000 Rip Curl; Pro event guide featured unique artwork by Indigenous artist Glenn Romanis. During this period the event was one of the first major sporting events in Australia to embrace Aboriginal culture.Full colour 32 page magazine with information about the 2000 Rip Curl Pro / Sunsmart Classic at Bells Beach. The cover features artwork by Indigenous artists Glenn Romanis. The artwork features an indigenous theme relating to Bells Beach.The cover includes the official event title plus sponsors logos, Rip Curl, Sunsmart, Coca-Cola, Tracks surfing magazine, Surfing Victoria, Surf Coast Tourism, Association of Surfing Professionals and Offshore Music.cheyne horan, bells beach, layne beachley, kelly slater, rip curl pro, sunsmart classic, glenn romanis, offshore music festival, terry richardson, nicky wood, mark occhilupo, tom curren, shane dorian, surfers appreciating the natural environment

This event access pass was issued to staff, vendors and community volunteers at the 2000 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.The access pass is typical of the pass issued each year to the staff and workers at the longest running surfing contest in the world. The pass features unique Indigenous artwork by Torquay artist/surfer Glenn Romanis2000 Rip Curl Pro Access Pass. Full colour laminated access pass (Outside Staff) for the 2000 Rip Curl Pro and Sunsmart Classic. The pass features cover art by Indigenous artist Glenn Romanis and event management logos. The pass also features a site map on the back and access information.Event management logos on the front. Indigenous Bell artwork by Torquay artist/surfer Glenn Romanis.bells beach, rip curl, glenn romanis, surfing victoria, 2000 rip curl pro

Feature magazine article by Nick Wade about Joel Parkinson's success in winning the 2011 Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach on its fiftieth anniversary.Joel Parkinson wins his third Bells Beach contest on its historic fiftieth anniversary. The Bells Beach Surfing Contest is the longest running surfing conterst in the world.Feature newspaper article with colour photographs of 2011 Rip Curl Pro winner, Joel Parkinson, ringing the big Bell and smaller insert photo of his opponent Mick Fanning surfing at Bells Beach.bells beach, surfing, bells beach surfing contest, joel parkinson, 2011 rip curl pro, mick fanning

FIRST LOVE tells the story of three passionate young girls from Phillip Island who aspire to make a career out of surfing. The film stars Jess Laing, Nikki Van Dijk, India Payne. Also appearing Stephanie Gilmore, Coco Ho and Alana Blanchard.The first feature length Australian surf film which tells the story of a group of young female surfers. The film has screened at a number of major film festivals and won two major awards at the X-Dance Film Festival in 2011.DVD cover features a colour photograph of the three stars of the film, Jess Laing, Nikki Van Dijk and India Payne.Rip Curl Logo, film festival logosfirst love, jess laing, nikki van dijk, india payne, stephanie gilmore, fran derham, clare plueckhahn, georgia fish, cahill bell-warren, coco ho, alana blanchard, claire gorman