Brazilian surf stars Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo are out of the Margaret River Pro after shock round-two losses.
But Australian Owen Wright made a stunning debut at the surf break known as The Box, scoring the second perfect-10 wave score of the men's season.
Medina, the reigning world champion, lost to local Jay Davies, who is in the main draw after winning the trials event.
It is Medina's worst result in 14 world tour events.
Davies beat Medina 15.17 to 7.67 and will face Australian Mick Fanning in the third round.
Toledo and Fanning were the joint World Surf League leaders before Margaret River.
"I watched Gabriel win the world title last year and I was pumped to get the chance to surf against him at one of the best waves in the world," Davies said.
"I get to surf here all the time so hopefully that will help me get through some more rounds."
Davies also revealed they had an unwanted guest during their heat.
"We had a shark cruise through the lineup which was a little sketchy, but it was only a baby one eating some fish," he said.
Toledo, who won this season's opening round on the Gold Coast, fell to New Zealand rookie Ricardo Christie on the Brazilian's 20th birthday.
In a tight heat, Toledo tried to regain the lead with only seconds left, but Christie won 13.26 to 13.07.
It is his first heat win on the tour.
"I feel like I've just won the competition," Christie said.
"It's been a tough start to the year for me and it's pretty sick to have an event out here in waves like this.
"I would have been spewing if they gave him the score on that last one - it was a pretty small wave."
By contrast, Wright scored his 10 on one of the biggest waves in the first two days of the event.
"It came through and I was just trying to put myself in the spot, right in the bubble," Wright said.
"I've seen a lot of the guys drifting in too far, so I tried to be further out.
"It let me in perfectly and the wave went from there."
He also revealed it was the first time he had surfed at the Box.
Wright lost his first-round heat on Wednesday at the main beach.
The 10 helped him win the heat of the day against American Dusty Paine, 18.50 to 10.90.
"Yeah, first time. I just said 'aw, head down, just go'," Wright said.
"I can remember after my 10, I was going 'give me more'.
"I just love it. I love waves like this."
Local Taj Burrow, Brazilian Adriano de Souza and Australian Josh Kerr, who suffered two big wipeouts in round one, were among the 12 surfers who also survived the second round.
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