Inspirational one-armed surfing mum Bethany Hamilton has progressed to the third round at Hawaii's daunting Pipeline after replacing Stephanie Gilmore at the 11th hour.
The Hawaii great, who lost her left arm in a shark attack in 2003, was called in as a wildcard to surf the knockout heat with Australia's seven-time world champion Gilmore quarantined after testing positive to COVID-19.
Hamilton, the subject of a 2011 movie Soul Surfer, has remained a regular in competition since the attack but not appeared on the Championship Tour since 2018.
The mother of three made the most of it, pairing two waves within a minute in the final stages of her heat to finish second behind Brisa Hennessy (10.73 points) with 8.76 points.
Hamilton found the inside of a barrel on her final wave, dropping in then holding the rail of her board with her only hand to send the large crowd on the beach into a frenzy and knock out teenage star Caroline Marks (3.7).
The incredible scenes came as the Tour celebrated a maiden start at the fame break, historically reserved to the men's Championship Tour but a regular stomping ground of the indomitable local legend Hamilton.
"I'm in full mummy mode lately, but trying to keep my surf shape and rip as hard as I can and just have fun with life," the 31-year-old said.
"I'm just stoked to be here; it's amazing to have the opportunity, there is also such great energy on the beach, everybody showing love."
No mercy had been given to Gilmore, who could potentially have surfed on Tuesday (AEDT) after clearing protocols if the competition had been held over.
Officials went ahead with the two elimination heats though, which also saw fellow Tour star Courtney Conlogue knocked out, in smaller conditions than those the men encountered on Sunday's high-octane season start.
Earlier, impressive Australian rookie Molly Picklum (7.73) won her first CT heat by beating compatriot Sally Fitzgibbons (4.90), who needed a 3.40-point wave after the buzzer to relegate Conlogue.
Tyler Wright (11.83), who won at Pipeline last year when the event was shifted from it's usual Honolua Bay location when a social surfer was attacked and killed by a shark, was impressive in winning her heat.
Isabella Nichols (5.50) also won her heat, while fellow Australian and rookie India Robinson (2.94) enjoyed a stress-free passage to the third round with Gilmore a non-starter in her fixture with Wright.
Conditions had simmered after Sunday's huge swell, but large waves are expected to return later in the tournament window, which stretched until February 10.
