Former world champion Joel Parkinson is one of four Australians into the quarter-finals of the World Surf League event on the Gold Coast.
Parkinson dominated a bizarre fifth-round heat against Brazilian Caio Ibelli at Snapper Rocks on Tuesday.
The 30-minute heat clock twice had to be reset during a lull in the swell, with both competitors paddling to the shore at one point, before the waves kicked back into gear.
Parkinson then had to make a late board change in the heat but a pair of eight-point rides gave him a two-wave total of 16.07 out of 20 to knock out tour rookie Ibelli (12.66).
"Interesting heat, you don't often surf Snapper alone for an hour," Parkinson said.
"Couple of eights. I hadn't had a heat where I had two (good-scoring) waves yet. I've had a couple of sixes, a five and then one eight or so but about time I put a big heat together at a title."
Parkinson will now face red-hot Brazilian Filipe Toledo in a bid to move into his first tour semi-final since July 2014.
Defending event champion Toledo has dominated the tournament, scoring the only perfect 10 so far in the competition during a near-flawless fourth round heat involving Parkinson.
"I hope we have some more waves. That was pretty slow," Parkinson said.
"Especially against Filipe, I really hope it's not real small and wobbly, that's definitely his strength."
Joining Parkinson in the last eight will be compatriots Adrian Buchan, Matt Wilkinson and Stu Kennedy.
Giant-killer Kennedy continued his great run, adding Sebastian Zietz to a list of scalps already including former world champions Kelly Slater and Gabriel Medina.
The NSW injury replacement scored 17.67 including a nine-point ride to beat Zietz (10.77) in a dominant display.
"It's good to finally let loose on that one, I felt a lot more comfortable," Kennedy said.
"I'm definitely looking forward to that (quarter-final)."
Wilkinson had booked his quarter-final berth on Monday and will face world champion Adriano de Souza after the Brazilian eliminated American rookie Conner Coffin on Tuesday.
Buchan toppled another American rookie in Kanoa Igarashi to set up a quarter-final clash with Kolohe Andino.
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