Bells Beach runner-up result 'stings' surf star Picklum

The more perspective Molly Picklum gains on her runner-up finish at Bells Beach, the more it "stings".

The Australian surfing star will continue her rivalry with good friend and world No.1 Caitlin Simmers at the Rip Curl Pro, with the waiting period for the iconic event starting on Good Friday.

The World Surf League competitors will carry plenty of jet lag into the start of the event, given the previous round at El Salvador only finished on the weekend.

Picklum made the final at Bells Beach two years ago, losing to compatriot Tyler Wright, but did not reach the quarter-final last year and in 2022 was a round-one elimination.

So no-one knows more about how hard it is to master the conditions at Bells.

"For my name to be scratched into that Bell, it would be a dream come true," Picklum said of one of the best trophies in world sport.

"I came into that (2023) with no expectations. I was so stoked. Now I look back at it, it stings - 'far out, I want to win'.

"Then getting a couple of bad results here, sometimes I haven't managed my energy levels coming into this leg too well.

"So this time around I feel better and I'm excited for what's to come."

Picklum has not finished lower than the semi-finals in all four rounds so far this year, but she has not won an event since early last season.

Simmers, the defending Bells Beach champion, beat her in the final of the opening two events of this season.

"As a true competitor, you want to win everything. The frustration is there, but I don't let it creep in too far," said Picklum, who competed for Australia at last year's Olympics.

"I recognise it and realise it's because I want to win, and use that as fire.

"With Caity and I, it's just so fun. I love it and the reason I talk about it and lean into it is because it really does get me up and about."

Simmers beat Johanne Defay of France with less than a minute left of their final last year to win Bells Beach for the first time.

While she has a strong head-to-head record with Picklum, Simmers takes nothing for granted.

"Molly's one of my favourite surfers and she's beaten me - people just don't know about it, but she has beaten me a lot of times," Simmers said.

"I remember it and I'm never going to take it easy when I'm out there in a heat with her."

South African Jordy Smith comes to Bells Beach on a high after winning the El Salvado event.

It was his first tour win since he took out Bells Beach in 2017.

Brazilian Italo Fereira, who won Bells in '18, leads the men's rankings after four rounds and Australian Ethan Ewing is No.2.

Bells Beach will open a three-leg Australian stop on the world tour, with Margaret River and Gold Coast also hosting events.