Molly Picklum’s bid for an elusive Bells Beach title has been foiled again, with the Australian surfing star suffering a shock loss at the Rip Curl Pro.
Brazilian junior world champion Luana Silva started Thursday by beating the world No 3 in the first of the women’s round-of-16 heats.
Picklum had come to Bells Beach in strong form, reaching the top four in all four World Surf League rounds so far this season and finishing runner-up in two of them.
But after coming second at Bells Beach two years ago, she also failed to make last year’s quarter-finals.
Surfing resumed at the Winky Pop break in clean three- to four-foot conditions.
The men will start their round of 32 after the women’s heats.
Australian Sally Fitzgibbons has a tough heat against American world No.1 Cailtlin Simmers.
Isabella Nichols, runner-up at the last round in El Salvador, will go up against Canadian Erin Brooks.
The last women’s heat on Thursday was an all-Australian duel between two-time world champion Tyler Wright and Barwon Heads’ Ellie Harrison in which Wright was victorious.
Meanwhile Jan Juc surfer Xavier Huxtable had to help Moroccan surfer Ramzi Boukhiam out of the water after a freak accident.
Footage showed Boukhiam then hit by a wave and he collapsed onto his board in agony.
Brazilian Italo Ferreira and Huxtable, who had competed in the same heat, immediately came to Boukhiam’s aid and helped him out of the water.
