Jackson Baker had a dream start winning his opening heat at the Pipeline Billabong Pro but now faces former world champion John John Florence on the Hawaiian's home break.
Competing in his first contest as a Championship Tour surfer, Baker made an impressive entry by progressing to the round of 32 but Merewether clubmate Morgan Cibilic was eliminated early after finishing third in two-straight rounds.
Baker claimed his opening heat on Sunday with a two-wave score of 6.43, finishing slightly ahead of Brazil's Miguel Pupo (6.20) and Portugal's Frederico Morais (5.33). He was trailing his competitors with about nine minutes left in the heat but scored 4.20 from a short left barrel to jump to the lead.
Earlier, on his opening wave, Baker almost completed a more impressive barrel ride but couldn't find his way out. He earned 2.23 for the effort, a low score but one that ultimately proved crucial to finishing on top.
Despite not completing his opening ride, Baker took great confidence from the wave and later described it as "the best" of his life.
"I got my chance to have a go and took it and rolled with it," Baker told the Newcastle Herald from Hawaii.
"That first wave was the best wave of my life even though I didn't quite make it out, was the best vision ever."
Baker "surprisingly felt pretty comfortable" surfing at the famous break and was stoked with the heat victory.
"First CT heat as rookie and [I] get a heat win, bloody good start I reckon," he said.
"Bring on round 3."
The 25-year-old, who is sporting number 61 on his World Surf League rash shirt to honour his late mum Tracy, will surf against John John Florence in heat 12 of the round of 32 when the men's competition resumes.
Florence, a two-time world champion who won the 2020 Billabong Pipeline Masters, dominated his opening heat on Sunday with best scores of 8.53 and 8.60.
Baker said he was relishing the opportunity to surf against the Hawaiian.
"It's going to be incredible to surf a man-on-man heat with John out Pipe," he said.
"It's going to be such a great experience and I'm super excited to give it my best."
Baker's clubmate Cibilic, who upset Florence in a heat of the Newcastle Cup at Merewether last year, exited the Pipeline event in the elimination round.
The contest's opening day featured eight to 10-foot waves, but Cibilic struggled to post a decent score.
He finished third with a score of 5.17 behind Connor O'Leary (15.50) and Caio Ibelli (10.07) in his opening heat, and then only caught two waves for a score of 1.83 in the eliminator, well behind Ivan Florence (12.60) and Lucca Mesinas (9.50).
The World Surf League contest, the first of the 2022 championship tour, was expected to resume Monday.
That first wave was the best wave of my life.
JACKSON BAKER
