On the same day he announced his pending retirement, 2012 world champion Joel Parkinson defeated World Surf League leader Julian Wilson to advance direct to round three of the Corona Open J Bay.
Parkinson, who will call it quits after the season-ending Pipe Masters, put together a combined score of 10.10 to win his first round heat from countryman Wilson (9.80) and South Africa's Matthew McGillivray (9.86) at Jeffreys Bay.
It left Wilson in a precarious position as he protects his championship lead.
However, he was able to come out and defeat McGillvray in a two-man sudden-death heat to also reach the third round before competition ended on day one.
The 37-year-old Parkinson was the only Australian to win a first-round heat, with the likes of Matt Wilkinson, Owen Wright, Mikey Wright, Adrian Buchan Wade Carmichael and Connor Leary all facing sudden death in round two when the event resumes.
Wilson's closest championship rival, Felipe Toledo of Brazil, was a convincing winner of his first-round heat over Wilkinson and Brazil's Wiggolly Dantas.
