After a "crazy, emotional roller-coaster" in 2022 that ended in heartbreak, former world No.5 Morgan Cibilic is enjoying a chance to recharge before trying again to get back on the Championship Tour.
But first he's welcoming the pressure of the Australian Boardriders Battle at Newcastle this weekend when he leads a Merewether side facing their toughest challenge yet.
Cibilic starred in Merewether's 2019 win at the national final when they defied the odds after losing Ryan Callinan and Jackson Baker to injury. Those two, who are at the Pipeline Pro, are missing again and this time Merewether must also overcome other local clubs in Saturday's 7am wildcard trial just to make the 24-team contest.
Merewether failed to qualify through their regional event before a reduction in wildcards allocated from five to one left them without a spot for the first time. If successful against the likes of Newcastle East End and Frenchmans, Cibilic faces a men's heat in the main draw at 7.50am.
He will team up with Mike Clayton-Brown (men's), Philippa Anderson (women's) and Mitchel Ross (over 35s), who were also part of the winning 2019 line-up. Ollie Ryssenbeek is their junior surfer. Cibilic said "we've got a pretty stacked team" but he wasn't counting on an easy time in the local trial.
"I'm not sure of all the clubs that will be there, but I know East End, Frenchies and Redhead all have really good surfers, so it's going to be hard," he said. "It's definitely not a walk-through. It's probably harder than some of the main round heats I reckon."
Cibilic, who lives at Tweed Heads, bounced back from a frustrating 2022 with victory last month at the Usher Cup at Snapper. Rookie of the year and world No.5 in 2021, Cibilic missed the mid-season cut on the CT then finished 12th - one heat from a tour return - on the Challenger Series.
"It's always tough looking back on a year because there's so many moments that could have been, but that's just how it rolls sometimes," he said. "I felt like I was surfing pretty good, it was just like a crazy, emotional roller-coaster. I started by going to Hawaii on January 14 last year and I got home on December 14. I came home for little bits in between but it was just a pretty draining year, so I can't be too hard on myself.
"I feel like the ABB is really good preparation for the year, there's so much pressure riding on it. Everyone on the team has to perform, so it's going to be an epic weekend.
"But just having this break is huge for me. I've just been able to chill at home for a bit and get into a routine, which is good."
AAP: Eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore suffered a shock elimination round exit at the hands of American teenagers Caitlin Simmers and Alyssa Spencer at Pipeline on Friday (AEDT).
Gilmore was thrust into the elimination round after posting a two-wave total of just 2.8 in her opening heat in Hawaii. The 35-year-old Australian then faced Simmers and Spencer and was last late in the heat.
Gilmore required a score of 3.03 to move into second spot ahead of 19-year-old injury replacement Spencer, but her attempt to pull off a barrel with just two minutes remaining came unstuck when the wave collapsed on top of her.
It meant 17-year-old rookie Simmers won the heat with a score of 12.67 ahead of Spencer (6.63), with Gilmore (6.43) eliminated.
"It's funny, I feel like I've gone from hero to zero," Gilmore said.
"Surfing has a way of keeping you humble, that's for sure. Caity did really well, she sat and waited, and got two really good waves.
"But that's the sport, that's the way it is, and there's no better motivation than to have a shocker and want to come back better."
The result is by no means a disaster for Gilmore, as she proved last year, when she missed the 2022 Pipeline event after being forced into quarantine.
She recovered from that to finish fifth in the overall rankings and sneak into the season-ending finals.
Gilmore then won five straight heats to claim a famous world title.
American Courtney Conlogue was another high-profile victim of the elimination round.
Simmers and Spencer had their dream runs ended in the round of 16.
Two-time world champion Tyler Wright moved into the quarter-finals after defeating fellow Australian Sally Fitzgibbons in their round of 16 battle.
Wright posted a two-wave total of 10.24 to beat Fitzgibbons (7.27), setting up a quarter-final showdown against star Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb.
Molly Picklum became the second Australian into the last-eight after she beat countrywoman Isabella Nichols in the round of 16.
Picklum will take on five-time world champion Carissa Moore in the quarterfinals.
Defending Pipeline champion and local favourite Moana Jones Wong was sent packing in the round of 16 by American Lakey Peterson.
Peterson will face off against Costa Rica's Brisa Hennessy when action resumes, while the fourth quarter-final will be an all-Hawaiian showdown between Gabriela Bryan and Bettylou Sakura Johnson.
All seven Australian men, led by world No.3 Jack Robinson, made it through to the third round on Thursday, but there was no further action for the men on Friday.
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