Top-ranked Australians Ethan Ewing and Molly Picklum have both ground out opening round wins at the World Surf League's Surf City El Salvador event.
After a faltering start to competition, with only two heats completed on day one before the event was called off, surfers were into the Punta Roca water extra early.
Ewing battled Frenchman Marco Mignot and American Levi Slawson and was done and dusted by 7am local time, securing safe passage into the next round.
The world No.3-ranked Queenslander's two-wave tally of 11.50 topped the heat, with last placed Slawson sent into the elimination round.
Other Australian heat winners included fourth-ranked Tyler Wright and Isabella Nichols, while Jack Robinson, who surfed on day one, finished second in his heat to avoid the sudden death round as did George Pittar and Joel Vaughan.
Vanuatu-raised Sydneysider Pittar's heat was a stand-out affair, with the 22-year-old pipped by rankings leader Italo Ferreira, who produced a massive air to bag the win 14.67 to 14.17.
Ewing said a win in El Salvador would mean a lot.
"It was really fun waves but just really slow so it was a bit of a torture but happy to move through," said the 26-year-old, who lost in the round of 16 at the event last year.
"It would be right up there (to win the event); I grew up on these sorts of waves and they are my favourite waves to surf.
"I've never really done well here in the past so looking forward to changing that."
Sitting second in the rankings, Picklum has made two semi-finals and a final from the three events this season but hasn't cracked a title win.
The 22-year-old took on Spain's Nadia Erostarbe and American Bella Kenworthy with only 0.66 points splitting the trio at the end of the heat, with the NSW central coast surfer triumphant.
Erostarbe will have to surf the elimination round, as will Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons, who struggled to find her groove and even had a board change mid-heat.
Liam O'Brien and Ryan Callinan were the other Australians headed to sudden death.
