Jack Robinson, Ethan Ewing and Molly Picklum have moved closer to a berth in the World Surf League Finals with Australia’s Olympic trio all heat winners at Fiji’s Cloudbreak.
But 11-time world champion Kelly Slater’s year, and 30-year career, is likely over with his loss in the elimination round.
After two lay days, surfing in the Fiji Pro – the last regular tour stop this season – got under way on Thursday morning.
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Only the top five in each field will qualify for the one-day, winner-take-all WSL Finals at Lower Trestles in California next month.
Paris silver medallist Robinson is ranked third while fellow Olympian Ewing is fifth, with a number of surfers within reach of his spot including Brazil’s three-time world champion Gabriel Medina.
Robinson took out Queenslander Ewing in a high-quality quarter-final in the Olympic competition in Tahiti’s Teahupo’o earlier this month.
But the Australians gave themselves every chance of holding their positions by moving directly into the round of 16.
West Australian Robinson posted a two-wave score of 11.00 to win his heat before Ewing demonstrated his consistency to also advance.
“It was a pretty scrappy heat to be honest,” said 25-year-old Ewing.
“We had a lot of current coming down the point so we couldn’t really get to the good spot, but it worked out in the end for me, so I’m happy.
“I’m just trying to put on good performances and try to enjoy it.”
World No.1 John John Florence, who already has a Finals berth secured, had a comfortable heat win while second-ranked American Griffin Colapinto survived the sudden-death round to also lock in a spot on his home break.
Medina, who has won twice in Fiji, produced the heat of the day, collecting a 9.17 with a searing carve and lengthy barrel in his dominant victory.
Slater, 52, ran into a red-hot Yago Dora in the elimination round with the Brazilian nailing a 9.33 ride which was overlooked by the American, who has won in Fiji four times.
“The real flip in the energy came down to Yago’s 9.3,” said Slater, who entered the event at his favourite break as a wildcard.
“I knew there was two good waves in both sets … and I took a bad wave with priority and Yago got a great one and at that point I probably was out of the heat already.
“It was heartbreaking to watch it go by and think that could have been mine.
“It’s probably the last heat I will ever surf out here at Cloudbreak and I’ve got a million great memories.”
In the women’s field, fourth-ranked Picklum started well by downing Hawaiian duo Gabriela Bryan and Bettylou Sakura Johnson.
“I just wanted to go out there and do my turns and hopefully let the barrel find me, but I was a bit greedy on the barrel and tried a bit too hard,” said the 21-year-old from NSW.
Australia’s two-time world champion Tyler Wright, at No.10 is out of contention for the title showdown.
But donning a wetsuit featuring one short leg and one long, which she said was inspired by WNBA star A’ja Wilson, she pushed third-ranked Brisa Hennessy and No.6 Johanne Defay to the elimination round.
World No.1 Caitlin Simmers, who has her Finals berth cemented, cruised through her heat that included 17-year-old Australian wildcard Sienna Kerr, whose father competed on the tour.