Jackson Baker will have to break his elimination round curse to progress at the Sunset Beach Pro after a rare first-round failure on the Championship Tour on Tuesday (AEDT) in Hawaii.
The Merewether regular-footer was last in his three-man seeding round heat dominated by Hawaiian two-time world champion John John Florence (15.83), who found a rare barrel for an 8.33 before a 7.50 from two layback slashes.
Brazilian Joao Chianca (13.64) also progressed to the round of 32 ahead of Baker (9.83), who caught just two waves in the 30-minute heat held in six-to-eight foot conditions.
Baker started early with a 2.83 before later waiting patiently with priority. However, he paddled for and missed a wave 12 minutes in, losing his spot in the line-up.
He needed a 9.41 late to catch Chianca and peeled off three quality turns inside the final two minutes to give himself a chance. He earned a 7.0 before Chianca bettered his total with a 7.47 and Baker ran out of time.
Baker, starting just his second year on tour, faced the elimination round only three times in 2022 after winning seven of his 10 opening heats. He started this year with a second in round one at Pipeline to again progress directly to the last 32.
However, Baker has finished last in all three elimination round appearances and he faces another tough battle when taking on tour leader Jack Robinson and Hawaiian Kai Lenny at Sunset - the second event of 2023. Last place in the heat is knocked out at the first hurdle, a major blow to surfers chasing early points to make the mid-season cut.
Baker's heat on Tuesday was the last of the day. Merewether clubmate Ryan Callinan was yet to surf. He faces Gabriel Medina and Connor O'Leary.
AAP: Australia's women made a successful start to the Sunset Pro on Tuesday.
Reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore and in-form Tyler Wright avoided the elimination round.
With the swell picking up after a lay day, 35-year-old Gilmore opened strongly to post a dominant win over Hawaiian Zoe McDougall and another Australian, Isabella Nichols.
Wright, who was runner-up at Pipeline to local favourite Carissa Moore, finished second in her three-woman heat behind Hawaiian teen Bettylou Sakura Johnson.
Gilmore was happy with her performance after failing to make a dent at Pipeline.
"My plan was just to catch waves and it worked out really well," Gilmore said.
"Sometimes you get stuck out there just sitting, waiting for this magical unicorn wave that never comes so it's all about just staying in the rhythm."
Rising Central Coast stars Molly Picklum and Macy Callaghan won their heats.
Compatriot Sally Fitzgibbons banked a second place.
Nichols bounced back in the elimination round to also advance.
Ethan Ewing, who was a Sunset Beach semi-finalist last year, made an big early statement with a 9.0 wave helping him secure a comfortable heat win.
Ewing said his 2022 showing gave him confidence.
"It's a huge part - this wave is really hard, it's different every time you go out there and but I feel comfortable," the 24-year-old Queenslander said.
"I've surfed here a lot and managed to luck into a really good wave.
"It's a huge confidence boost for sure and I just want to keep the ball rolling but you can have shockers out there too so I will keep trying to work at it."
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