Australian surfer Ethan Ewing issued a touching tribute to his late mother Helen Lambert as he won the iconic Rip Curl Pro trophy 40 years after she did.
Ewing rang the famous Bells Beach bell on Tuesday, after he won the final against Ryan Callinan. Ewing’s mother, Helen Ewing (née Lambert), won the competition at age 18 in 1983. Ewing said he has had his mother’s trophy on his bedside table his entire life.
She was a pioneer in the women’s surfing scene, and died of breast cancer when Ewing was six years old in 2005.
Ewing said winning the Bells Beach trophy and being able to follow in his mother’s footsteps had been his biggest career goal.
“I’ve had the trophy next to my bed pretty much my whole life and looked at that and dreamt of it, and seeing her name on the stairs, and now having my name there is so, so special,” he said.
“All my heroes have won this – Joel [Parkinson], Mick [Fanning], Kelly [Slater], the girls – Steph [Gilmore], Carissa [Moore], and then my mum back in ‘83. It is an honour to compete here. To put my name up there with her – it’s really special.”
The moment marked the first time a mother and son have ever won the same World Surf League event.
“I’ve been thinking about her since I’ve been on tour. I wanted to do her proud,” he said.
The 24-year-old has also worn his mother’s name on his back to mark every International Women’s Day surfing event.
In an emotional moment after the win, Ewing said: “I just want to say to everyone out there, tell your Mum you love them, because you never know what life throws at you.”
“Every International Women’s Day, @ethan_ewing has worn “Helen” on his back in honor of his late mum – an athlete who inspires him. Well, Ethan just won Bells 40 years after she did in 1983. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the entire crowd today 😭😭. Congrats to the whole Ewing and Lambert families ❤️🔔,” Jessi Miley Dyer wrote on Instagram.
In the women’s event, Australian Tyler Wright took home the Rip Curl Pro trophy for the second year in a row, winning over fellow Australian Molly Picklum, who managed to retain her position as World No. 1.