World champion Molly Picklum has stemmed the flow of Australian exits at Bells Beach, including title-holder Jack Robinson, who was sensationally eliminated in round two.
Robinson joined the local carnage, with the West Australian surfer called for interference which ended his hopes of winning his heat against Brazilian Samuel Pupo.
Picklum had to wait until late Wednesday to get into the water in her all-Australian second round heat against veteran Sally Fitzgibbons.
But the reigning No.1 delivered a statement performance, posting the best total score of the day in both the women's and men's fields at Winkipop with a 16.50.
"It feels good, but you know what the ocean's like," Picklum said.
"I really went out and just going, I hope I get two turns, and I'm happy when the scores got read out, and I was here in sevens and eights, and I was like, 'Hey, this is sick'."
Fitzgibbons could only answer with a 7.34 and joined two-time Bells winner Tyler Wright in making an exit.
On the comeback after hip and back injuries, Wright was edged by in-form Brazilian Luana Silva, who had taken down returning eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the opening round.
Brazilian surfers continued their dominance in the men's field with seven advancing to round of 16, including Pupo with his victory over Robinson.
Pupo led the heat, scoring 13.07 to Robinson's 10.50, but with just over nine minutes left on the clock, the Aussie world No.5 paddled onto a wave under his opponent's priority.
While Robinson pulled out as Pupo opted to take the wave, the judges ruled that the Olympic silver medallist had interfered with his rival.
It took them almost four minutes to hand down the decision, with the penalty seeing Robinson lose the score for the wave he paddled onto, and also his second-highest score.
That left Robinson an insurmountable target to win the heat, losing 13.77 to 5.67.
Robinson became the second big-name casualty in the men's field with 2023 champion Ethan Ewing also bowing out in the second round, losing to compatriot George Pittar.
Local hope Xavier Huxtable almost toppled Brazilian great Ítalo Ferreira, catching a wave with 20 seconds remaining but his score left him 0.10 short.
Pittar is the only local men's hope through to the third round, taking on another Brazilian in Miguel Pupo, the brother of Samuel.
