World champion Tyler Wright's bid for a maiden Maui Pro title has started with a convincing first-round victory but fellow Australian Sally Fitzgibbon's season has ended in Hawaii.
Wright scored 7.33 and 8.0 on her last two waves on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) to easily overcome Bianca Buitendag of South Africa and local hope Brisa Hennessy to advance to the third round.
Wright clinched the world title ahead of the tour-ending event in Maui with her runner-up finish in France last month.
She said her preparation for Hawaii was limited after more than a month of celebrations and media commitments.
"Just really taking it all in, really enjoying it. Very busy," she said.
"I think I did a month-and-week of media straight. That was pretty taxing, so I actually didn't get a lot of time to surf coming into this event.
"I still very much enjoyed it. It's just something that I wouldn't normally do."
Fitzgibbon was eliminated by American Lakey Peterson in their tight second-round heat after she lost to countrywoman Keely Andrew and France's Johanne Defay first up.
Andrew, ranked 14 in the world, dominated the heat with scores of 8.83 and 7.0 to join Wright in the third round.
"I went home and put a lot of time in the gym - a lot of strength and power - and I'm stoked it's paying off here," Andrew said.
"I'm super happy with how that first heat went."
Six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore is also through to the third round after she produced the ride of the day with a silky effort worth 9.5 to win her first-round heat.
Meanwhile Australian Laura Enever's permanent spot on the tour for 2017 is jeopardy.
She was eliminated in the second round by Hawaiian Coco Ho, leaving her at the mercy of Buitendag for the final spot in next year's championship.
Buitendag would need to upset the competition and win the Maui Pro to do so, but is through to the third round after knocking out Australian Nikki van Dijk to close the opening day.
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