Wildcard Taj Burrow's World Surf League comeback has ended with a straight sets exit at Western Australia's Rottnest Island, losing an elimination heat that was briefly halted due to a shark sighting.
Burrow, along with fellow Australian Jack Freestone and American Griffin Colapinto, had only just started their three-man heat on Monday at Strickland Bay when they were called back to shore.
A small shark had been spotted entering the 200m exclusion zone around the competitors and competition was put on hold.
The delay lasted less than half an hour but when competition resumed Burrow was unable to match his younger rivals to stay in the tournament.
Colapinto won the heat with a two-wave score of 12.50 out of 20, with Freestone also staying alive thanks to a 11.16 total.
Burrow, who finished with a 9.60, admitted it was somewhat of a relief to have his one-off return to competitive surfing at an end.
"These guys are the athletes and they're the ones that have really got those goals," the 42-year-old said.
"I'm more of a recreational surfer these days so I was just having fun.
"It is a tough one because I don't want to take it away from them really.
"I would have loved to have put a couple waves together and get some scores, but then the points and the whole big picture is more important to them. So it is a weird position to be in.
"I don't really enjoy the feeling of competing anymore at all, it's actually horrible, so I'm happy that it's kind of done."
Others to reach the round of 32 in the men's draw on Monday included local wildcard Jacob Willcox who topped his heat against Morgan Cibilic and Jadson Andre, with Cibilic also progressing at the expense of the Brazilian.
Stuart Kennedy and Liam O'Brien were the other Australians to progress.
In the women's elimination match-ups, Australian duo Nikki Van Dijk and Mia McCarthy knocked out Margaret River Pro champion Tatiana Weston-Webb in a shock exit for the Olympic-bound Brazilian.
Another pair of Australians in Isabella Nichols and Bronte Macaulay were too good for Costa Rica's Brisa Hennessy in Monday's other elimination heat.
