Jackson Baker endured post-siren heartbreak as he followed Merewether clubmate Ryan Callinan out of the Sunset Beach Pro in the round of 32 on Friday (AEDT).
Baker took on Japan's Kanoa Igarashi in the final heat of the round, held in bumpy six to eight-foot waves, and he was in a dominant position with 10 minutes left in the 40-minute contest between the regular-footers.
He led 15.0 to 11.33 on best two-wave scores after an 8.17 at the halfway point from two blasting turns and an airdrop finish, before a 6.83 from a ride featuring two quality snaps.
Igarashi needed an 8.67 to jump ahead but he cut the requirement to 7.31 in the final five minutes with three gouging turns for a 7.7.
Baker held priority but went on a wave with three minutes remaining and fell.
It opened the door for Igarashi, who found a quality set wave with just under two minutes to go. He peeled off three turns and landed a floating finish to leave commentators divided on whether he would get the score.
The numbers dropped after the siren and gave him a 7.37 for a 15.07 to 15.0 win.
The exit was a repeat of his opening-event result at Pipeline this month.
Igarashi, the world No.5 last year, was relieved to get away with the win and praised Baker's performance.
"I felt like the heat was kind of under control," Igarashi said.
"I had a five ... I had a six, and I felt I was probably one step ahead, but Jackson stepped up and he surfed that heat so well. He capitalised on my mistakes and he obviously made the most out of every wave."
Earlier, Callinan again exited at the hands of Brazilian Caio Ibelli, this time 14.34 to 10.34.
Ibelli eliminated Callinan in the round of 16 at Pipeline and the pair were level pegging at Sunset until the Novocastrian goofy-footer had the better of an exchange with about 13 minutes to go. He skipped to a 10.12 to 7.1 lead with a 6.17 from three backhand hits.
However, Ibelli quickly recovered from a fall to peel off two huge turns for an 8.17 and a 12.04 to 10.17 advantage.
Callinan needed a 5.88 to regain the lead and he waited with priority for the right wave.
Ibelli caught an inside wave under priority with four minutes left before Callinan bailed out of his choice. A score of 6.17 extended Ibelli's lead and left Callinan chasing an 8.17 in the final two minutes.
Callinan had one last shot, completing a nice turn before a close out and earning only a 4.17.
AAP: Rankings leader Jack Robinson won through to the quarter-finals along with fellow Australian Ethan Ewing, who eliminated American legend Kelly Slater.
Chasing back-to-back titles to open the season, Robinson overcame Leo Fioravanti in the round of 16, 14.33 to 13.83, after also beating the Italian in the final at Pipeline.
"We've been having those battles since we were like 10 years old and never give each other an inch," said Robinson. "It actually fires me up to go surf him and it was super cool because it was so good today so I'm just happy to get the job done."
Ewing knocked out 11-time world champion Slater. The Queenslander looked right at home with a combined score of 13.83. Slater, 51, needed a low eight in the final minutes but the winning wave never arrived.
John John Florence and Gabriel Medina made shock exits.
The women's event remained on hold.
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