Parko survives day of surfing upsets

2 Nov 2012, 2:32 pm   -   Source: AAP
Australian surfer Joel Parkinson has advanced to the second round of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic. (AAP)

Australian surfer Joel Parkinson has advanced to the second round of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic. (AAP)

Australian Joel Parkinson has won his heat as all of his biggest world surfing title rivals made slow starts at the event in Santa Cruz, California.

World surfing championship leader Joel Parkinson came through unscathed as his four title rivals suffered opening-round losses at the penultimate event of the series in California.

The Australian, bidding for a first world title, was the only of the five surfers still with a mathematical title shot to post a first-round win at the O'Neill Coldwater Classic at Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz.

In one-metre waves, Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, John John Florence and Adriano de Souza were all beaten, forcing them into the second round repechage on Friday.

Parkinson, who can wrap up the title at the event if he wins and other results fall his way, dominated his heat with a day-high score of 16.83 to take down Americans Damien Hobgood (11.40) and Jason Collins (7.00).

And while he appears in the box seat, he's tipping his rivals to bounce back.

"It feels good to get that round-one heat win for sure, but those guys in the red jerseys (top seeds) that lost today, I think you'll see most of them in round three," Parkinson said.

American Nat Young was responsible for the upset of the day, scoring 12.17 in frustrating conditions to upset 11-time world champion Slater (10.00) and compatriot Kolohe Andino (9.57).

"It was a really special heat being able to surf against Kelly Slater," Young said.

"He's been my idol since I started surfing and having him at my local spot and Kolohe (Andino), he's one of my best friends, so I was just really excited.

"The waves weren't really that great in the heat."

Fanning's score of 14.94 would have been good enough to progress in several other heats but he fell to Hawaiian Dusty Payne (15.30).

Florence and De Souza, fourth and fifth in the title race respectively, also fell short in bids to progress straight to the third round.

Slater will face countryman Jason Collins in the first heat of the second round, expected to get underway on Friday if event organisers are satisfied with the conditions.

Parkinson holds a 5000-point lead over Slater in the title race, with two-time world champion Fanning a further 200 points back in third.

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