Newcastle's Jackson Baker has won the first heat of the morning at the City of Newcastle Pro at Merewether, after the first round of the AAP Consulting Women's Pro was finished in a rising swell.
Throughout 35 events, no Newcastle born surfer has ever won the male event, although Ryan Callinan was runner-up last year and the commentators recalled that Jamie Lambert made a final back in the day.
The waves have gone from waist to shoulder high when the women's event began early this morning to noticeably bigger sets with more wave face to work with.
Although the wind has been a 20 kilometre an hour southerly for most the day, the dominant swell has been arriving from the east, with the expected southerly swell, now predicted to peak at just below six metres, starting to build into the picture.
Baker clocked up a handful of waves surfing inside to himself, using his local knowledge to race to an early lead over Tully Wylie, Eddy Hamaty and Tye Koolis.
At one point he had 10 waves to a single wave of Hamaty's and was in control from his first ride.
Ryan Callinan, Newcastle's other big Championship Tour star, is scheduled to surf in Heat 16, the final 25-minute heat of the second round.
The women's resumed at Heat 11, with Merewether youngster Ellie Lambkin in second place to heat winner Freya Prumm until a last-seconds wave by Gia Lorentson knocked her out of the competition.
The women to progress, in heat order, were Macy Callaghan and Jesse Starling, Alyssa Lock and Concha Balsemao, Freya Prumm and Gia Lorentson, Sage Goldsbury and Logan Dalton, Zahli Kelly and Saffi Vette, Charli Hurst and Holly Williams, Kobie Enright and Raya Campbell and, finally, Nyxie Ryan and Sasha Baker.
Surfest can be livestreamed on its website, surfest.com
