The competition has been held annually at
Easter time at Bells Beach, Victoria continuously since 1962, becoming a professional competition and sponsored by
Rip Curl in 1973. Occasionally George "Ming" Smith is credited as winning the 1961 event but he actually won the "wave of the day" in the first contest (1962) and was awarded a prize of 1 pound, and a pennant saying "winner 1961". The event became mobile from 1993, and was held at various locations in Victoria, depending upon weather conditions. The entire 2005 event was held at Phillip Island due to poor conditions in Torquay. The event is now held only at Bells Beach and nearby Winkipop. The famous Bells trophy was designed and built by Bells Beach local Joe Sweeney. The first time a Bell trophy was awarded was 1968. Winners of the Rip Curl Pro receive smaller replica Bells trophies to keep. Each year, Rip Curl founder
Doug 'Claw' Warbrick presents the trophies to the winning athletes. The 2020 and 2021 contests were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. ==Naming==