Australian Mick Fanning's surfing world title defence remains in limbo with the season-ending Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii put on hold again.
The event was set to start on December 8 but competitors are still awaiting their first heat match-ups as the week comes to a close.
Unsatisfactory conditions have forced lay days, with organisers slating 7.30am on Friday (4.30am Saturday, AEDT) for the next evaluation.
When the competition finally kicks off, Fanning will be one of three men in the running for the 2014 world championship.
Second-placed Fanning is out to add to his three world titles, while Brazilian wunderkind Gabriel Medina is chasing his first and third-placed Kelly Slater is looking for No.12.
The 33-year-old concedes Medina, the standings leader, is an "ultra-talented" presence in the sport.
"If he continues to improve, there will be world titles and probably a big statue on top of one of the mountains of Rio up there next to Christ the Redeemer," Fanning joked.
PIPELINE TO SUCCESS: The men's world surfing title race explained
- If Gabriel Medina finishes 2nd or better at Pipe Masters, he wins the title
- If Medina finishes 5th or better, Fanning must win the event
- If Medina finishes 9th, Fanning must finish 2nd or better
- If Medina finishes 13 or 25th, Fanning must finish 3rd to win the title or 5th to force a surf-off
- If Medina finishes 13 or 25th, Kelly Slater must win the event to claim the title
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