Australians enjoy solid day at Bells Beach

Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons and Carissa Moore were among the round-one winners in the world surfing event at Bells Beach.

Brazil's Gabriel Medina in action at Bells Beach

The World Surf League event at Bells Beach has been placed on stand-by due to weather conditions. (AAP)

Australian surfing stars Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons are among the big names to win their heats in round one at Bells Beach.

The six women's round-one heats were held on Thursday afternoon on day two after the men's opening round was wrapped up.

Brazilian Silvana Lima closed out her heat with the only perfect 10 wave score of round one, but it was not enough to overhaul Fitzgibbons.

The Australian scored a total heat score of 18.37 and Lima posted 17.67, with Australian Nikki Van Dijk (11.93) third.

Gilmore was too good for Hawaiian pair Tatiana Weston-Webb and Alessa Quisson.

The reigning world champion won the round with a total score of 15.50, three points up on Weston-Webb.

Hawaiian Carissa Moore also continued her strong start to the season by progressing through round one.

Moore beat Gilmore to win the final of the opening event last month on the Gold Coast.

She posted 17.97 to comfortably beat Pauline Ado of France and Australian Dimity Stoyle.

South African Bianca Buitendag, Johanne Defay of France and American Lakey Peterson were the other heat winners.

Earlier on Thursday, Joel Parkinson led an Australian charge as the first round of the men's Rip Curl Pro was completed.

Parkinson recorded a two-wave score of 12.33 points to hold off the challenge of Ireland's Glenn Hall and Brazilian Miguel Pupo, advancing straight to round three.

Three of the other four remaining round-one heats were also won by Australians.

Julian Wilson - the runner-up in last month's season-opening Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast - continued his impressive start to 2015 by beating countryman Matt Wilkinson and American Kolohe Andino.

Josh Kerr and Owen Wright also won their first-round encounters.


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Source: AAP


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