Owen Wright wins heat at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

AUSTRALIAN surfing star Owen Wright has made a dream start to his professional swan song, beating reigning winner Brazil’s Filipe Toledo at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

Wright won his round 1 heat today (Thursday, April 6) as the event started after a two-day delay.

The event moved from Bells Beach to the neighbouring Winkipop break because of below-par conditions, making the most of a two- to three-foot swell.

Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater was the biggest name forced into the round 1 elimination round after he finished third in his heat, won by Australian world No.1 Jack Robinson.

Wright beat reigning world champion Toledo, who won the event last year for the first time.

They will avoid the round 1 elimination round because Toledo was second in their three-man heat, meaning he also advances to the round of 32.

Wright had a combined score of 12.84 to Toledo’s 11.24, with Hawaiian Ian Gentil risking elimination after his 10.36.

Wright is in the event as a wildcard, and this will be his only event of the year before he retires.

The Olympic bronze medallist is leaving competition because of ongoing concerns about his health, following a horrific 2015 wipeout in Hawaii that left him with a traumatic brain injury.

Slater scored 9.60 to finish last in his heat, with Robinson posting 12.56 and fellow Australian Xavier Huxtable second on 11.50

Australian Callum Robson, who made the semi-finals of the previous round in Portugal, was another prominent name who risks elimination.
Connor O’Leary and Liam O’Brien are the other Australians in the elimination round.

But Hawaiian star John John Florence starred with the highest wave score of 8.43 in his heat win, while Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi had the best combined total of 16.40.

Organisers worked through the women’s opening round this afternoon after the 12 men’s heats.

Conditions are predicted to tail off tomorrow (Friday April 7), meaning there might be no competition over the Easter long weekend.

The last non-elimination heat of the day saw eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and veteran American Courtney Conlogue advance and Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy relegated to the elimination round.

Gilmore, the reigning women’s champion, and Conlogue are in danger of missing the mid-season cut.

Australian Molly Picklum is the women’s No.1 seed after three rounds of the world tour, while compatriot Tyler Wright – Owen’s sister – is the defending women’s Rip Curl Pro champion.

 – WITH AAP