History beckons for Australian surfing legend Mick Fanning after Monday morning's mayhem at Bells Beach.
The draw has also opened up beautifully for compatriot Matt Wilkinson, who can put serious early-season distance into the rest of the field on the world rankings.
Fanning and Wilkinson were the major winners after many of the sport's biggest names were shock losers in round three.
Kelly Slater, Gabriel Medina, Joel Parkinson and John John Florence all were eliminated on Monday morning in the second half of round-three heats.
That followed Sunday's third-round exit of reigning world champion Adriano De Souza.
Fanning is the only world champion left in the field as he tries to become the first five-time men's winner at Bells Beach.
Slater and Australian Mark Richards are the other four-time Bells champions.
Fanning's future in the sport is unclear - he is having a much-publicised sabbatical after Bells - but says his mind is firmly on going as far as possible in the draw.
After a slow start, he easily beat Hawaiian Dusty Payne to open Monday's action.
"The form is good and the body's good - I've got a rough head still," he joked.
"I have holidays already booked and I'm really excited for that.
"But that's not until after this event finishes ... so my head's here."
Slater, the 11-time world champion, had the highest wave score against Michel Bourez from French Polynesia, but also had a fall.
"Then that was the negative thought in my head - I fell," he said.
"Instead of being able to wipe it clean and start over, I was stuck on that."
The upset loss continued the 44-year-old's slow start to the season.
By contrast, Wilkinson won on Sunday to reach round four.
The Australian surprisingly won the season opener earlier this month at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast.
Slater noted that Wilkinson was the only top finisher at Snapper Rocks still in the hunt at Bells.
"I told Wilko, 'you win a couple of heats, you put a lot of daylight between you and No.2'," Slater said.
"It would be pretty insane to see Wilko pull another win off, get 20,000 points and no-one else even on 7000, or whatever it would be."
Only six heats were possible on Monday as the tide changed and an unfavourable wind picked up.
After Fanning's win, South African Jordy Smith dispatched Australian Kai Otton.
Then came the boilovers, with American tour rookie Conner Coffin beating Parkinson, the Australian three-time Bells champion and 2012 world champion.
After Bourez beat Slater, Brazilian Caio Ibelli upset Florence and finally Australian newcomer Davey Cathels beat Ibellis' compatriot Gabriel Medina, the 2014 world champion.
"Anybody can beat you," Slater noted.
Competition could be on hold for a couple of days as organisers await a big swell forecast for the end of the week.
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