Australian surf star Ethan Ewing has produced the goods at Sunset Beach to set up a mouth-watering third-round showdown against 11-time world champion Kelly Slater.
Stop No.2 on the World Surf League tour got under way in Hawaii on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in solid eight- to 10-foot rights, with only the men's opening round and elimination second round being run.
Ewing produced the first excellent score of the day when he pulled off an eight-point ride to win his three-man heat against Rio Waida and Kai Lenny.
Jack Robinson, Ryan Callinan, Liam O'Brien and Jacob Willcox were other Australians who earned direct passage through to the third round.
But the news wasn't as good for Callum Robson, whose last-ditch wave in the second round couldn't stave off elimination against Seth Moniz and Kade Matson.
Three-time world champion Gabriel Medina struggled in the opening round, but he found form in his elimination battle against Samuel Pupo and Keanu Asing.
Barron Mamiya, who won the season-opening event at Pipeline, also made it through the elimination round.
Robson, Asing, Kai Lenny and Ramzi Boukhiam were the four surfers eliminated.
Slater finished second to Caio Ibelli in his three-man opening heat to progress to the third round, where he will go head-to-head with Ewing.
The Australian, who finished runner-up to Filipe Toledo in last year's world title race, was feeling happy after producing a beautiful display of rail surfing in his heat.
"It's always good to skip that (elimination) round. I'm really happy to be here," Ewing told the WSL broadcast.
"It's a really difficult wave to surf, but where I come from there's a lot of waves similar to this - a lot of water moving and open ocean.
"I do love trying to master this wave, because it's such a difficult wave."
South African Jordy Smith produced arguably the best ride of the day with a long barrel that earned him a 9.33.
Two-time world champion John John Florence was also in hot form with a two-wave total of 14.83 to win his opening heat.
