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Top-10 surfer India Robinson has been preparing for the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach since she was a kid, growing up near the famed surf break.
After qualifying for the 2002 World Surf League tour, India Robinson put a big red circle on the calendar around the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.
The 21-year-old grew up at nearby Jan Juc and as a grommet used to carry boards for the pro surfers such as Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore in the iconic Easter event.
"Surfing Victoria set up a really cool idea for us groms to board caddy," Robinson said.
"From probably the age of 10 I've been holding all the boards for a lot of people I look up to, so to be competing now it's really cool.
"My goal before qualifying was to win a wildcard for this event, and I got second and third a bunch of times and then last year I went on the Challenger Series, and I was like, 'I want to qualify, so I'm finally in the event at home'."
Robinson has made an immediate impact on the tour, finishing ninth in her first event and then fifth in the past two to sit eighth in the rankings heading into Bells -- one spot behind Australia's two-time world champion Tyler Wright.
Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica leads the rankings.
Robinson said she'd even surprised herself with her early success with her goal just to make the cut-off, with the 18-surfer field to be cut to 12 after the two Australian events.
She has now set her sights on finishing top five, with those surfers contesting the WSL Tour Finals.
She said that her three older brothers had toughened her up for the Tour.
"They all surf and they've always pushed me in the water, and my dad also surfs," she told AAP.
"My brothers definitely made me a stronger person, they didn't take it easy on me.
"If I wanted to play any games with them I had to be on a level that they appreciated and I was good enough to do so, so they didn't give me an inch."
Having surfed Bells her whole life, Robinson felt confident about her chances -- with the competition start delayed until at least Monday due to small swell on Sunday.
"Growing up in Victoria the waves are really powerful so you have to match the power of the wave with the power of your surfing and from a young age I was taught that by my coach Adam Robbo (Robertson)," she said.
"He always put us on bigger boards so that we got stronger legs and it ended up working out really well.
"I'm a power surfer and these waves are powerful, so it's going to work out well."
