Fanning knocked out of Pro

CALLUM Robson has produced an after-the-siren upset to end Mick Fanning’s shot at a record fifth Bells Beach title but siblings Tyler and Owen Wright are still standing in the Rip Curl Pro.

Australian Robson produced a 7.77-point effort on his final wave, scores returning as he hit the beach after their round-of-16 Rip Curl Pro heat to win 14.50 to 14.27.

The 40-year-old Fanning, who has come out of retirement to chase Bells history as a wildcard, reached the last 16 after eliminating world No.1 Kanoa Igarashi in an upset on Thursday.

The three-time world champion looked in vintage form on Friday too, carving in terrific conditions to score at least 6.17 points on four separate waves and lead for a bulk of the heat.

His final-wave best of 7.5 was trumped by Championship Tour rookie Robson though, bringing the fairytale run to a abrupt halt.

“When I saw that wave coming in I took a deep breath and thought ‘alright this is my chance’,” he said.

“Waiting on the beach, I couldn’t really hear but my mates were giving me the thumbs up.

“Mick at Bells, especially when it’s absolutely pumping … he’s one of the best, so I’m pretty happy with that win.”

Fanning was greeted by son Xander on the beach, offsetting the disappointment of his first exit before the quarter-final stage from his last 14 Bells campaigns.

“It was great fun, I had a great time,” he said.”You want to go out just surfing (well) and Callum’s a great kid, awesome to have a heat with him, one of the groms growing up at home.

“To have this little munchkin (Xander) here … it’s been a really different Bells for me, really enjoyed it, great memories.”

Earlier Owen Wright’s charge to avoid the World Surf League’s mid-season cut continued, the Olympic bronze medallist reaching the quarter-finals.

Wright came out on top in a tense round-of-16 heat against Nat Young, putting together a two-wave total of 16.40 out of 20 to eliminate the American (15.77).

It’s already the 32-year-old’s best result of 2022 as he quests to improve his lowly ranking (31) before the tour field is cut to 24 after the next stop of the year at Margaret River.

Jack Robinson absorbed Imaikalani deVault’s early eight-point ride, cooly finding a late 8.47 reply to win his heat and progress to a quarter-final against Italo Ferreira.

Ethan Ewing won comfortably in his all-Australian clash with Jackson Baker and will face Wright, while Connor O’Leary and Morgan Cibilic were beaten by Brazil’s Filipe Toledo and 2019 Bells winner John John Florence.

Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons joined Fanning out the back door after crushing quarter-final exits that have severely dented their hopes of making the 10-woman cut.

Owen’s sister Tyler will fly the flag as the fit-again two-time world champion chases a Bells title, scoring a nine-point ride on her way to a semi-final against Courtney Conlogue.