Dane Henry Awarded 2026 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Wildcard
13/02/26
4 minute read
Hand-delivered by 3x World Champion Mick Fanning
Each year, Rip Curl is granted one men’s wildcard entry into the main draw of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the longest-running surf competition in the world.
While many of our team are deserving of this opportunity, one surfer truly stood out after a stellar year.
In 2025, Dane Henry elevated his surfing to another level, claiming Gold at the ISA World Surfing Games and backing it up with a WSL World Junior Title. At just 19 years old, Henry has firmly cemented himself as a serious contender.
Three-time World Champion Mick Fanning knows exactly what a wildcard opportunity can mean. In 2001, Fanning received a wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach at the same age as Dane. That year, he went on to win the event and ring the iconic Bell.
In a full-circle moment, Mick personally surprised Dane at his home to deliver the news. After the initial shock and excitement, the pair sat down for a candid chat, with Mick asking Dane some questions about his upcoming CT debut.
Mick: Mate, congratulations. You just found out you're going to be a wildcard at the 2026 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. What's going through your head right now?
Dane: It’s a big shock. I definitely didn’t expect it. Last year was the first time being down there at Bells that I felt that FOMO and truly ready to be on that Championship Tour (CT) stage. I’m ready to go. Just thinking about ringing the Bell gives me goosebumps. It’s a lifelong dream of mine.
Mick: The CT is such a different step up in competition. Where do you see your strengths? Where do you see your weaknesses?
Dane: Yeah, it's going to be a weird one coming from being a big fish in a little pond in the Juniors and then straight onto the big stage. I feel like my strength is in the air, but at Bells, I’ll need to mix it up a bit. My laybacks, carves, and just showing some variation will be my go-to. It’d be pretty sick to do a couple of those big Griffin Colapinto airs at the Bowl, big full rotations. But I just want to mix it up and really show the judges what I've got and try and match it with the big boys.
Mick: Alright, so there's always this debate, Bells or Winki. If you had a choice, where would you have your very first heat?
Dane: I'd probably rather it at Winki. I feel like Winki suits my surfing a bit better and I have a better relationship with that wave. But I was in the car with Morgan [Ciblic] a couple of years ago when he got the wildcard and we were blasting Hells Bells before round one, and I was like, “this is proper”. So, to have a classic Bells day as my first heat would be incredible. It would be sick to just get some crazy big lines and a big bowl section. I've been dreaming of a classic Bells day. I haven't really had one yet. I’ve had some good days, but haven't had a proper day of days. So that would be super special to get in my first heat.
Mick: Emotionally, how are you going to feel? Do you think you'll be nervous or do you think you're going to be just psyched and ready to kill?
Dane: I want to say that I won't be too nervous, but I'll definitely be nervous. But I'm so ready to go. I'm itching for it, and ready to just give it my all.
Mick: What's the attitude that you're taking into Bells? Like, if you've got one or two words to sum it up, what's it going to be?
Dane: I've kind of had this little mantra that I've been saying all last year, and it seemed to work. I would say to myself, “put the work boots on”. And I think with Bells you've got to put the steel caps on and go out and get the job done. So that's going to be the same mindset. But I just want to go out, slow everything down, slow those bottom turns down, wait for the wave to do its thing. I learned from my first few times going there that I was just rushing and mistiming everything, so I might try and get down there early, surf some bigger boards and just chill out, and work towards the event.
Mick: Awesome mate, I'm super psyched for you. I know what that feeling's like, and you only ever get one first so it's going to be awesome to watch.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach will kick off the 2026 World Surf League season and also marks 50 years of professional surfing.
The waiting period runs from April 1–11, 2026, and like Mick, we can’t wait to see what damage Dane will do in his first-ever CT event.
