Surfing legend Kelly Slater has held off local teenager Xavier Huxtable to reach the third round at the Rip Curl Pro.
The 11-time world champion and four-time event winner has said this might be the last time he competes at Bells Beach.
Slater, 47, narrowly beat Huxtable to finish second in their round-one heat and advanced, while the 16-year-old from Jan Juc goes into the sudden-death second round.
Huxtable received a last-minute call up to the event as an injury replacement.
Brazilian Filipe Toledo won the heat with a score of 15.87, while Slater's 10.63 put him ahead of the Australian's 10.23.
After a lay day on Wednesday, competition did not start until Thursday afternoon and organisers moved the event site to the nearby Winkipop.
Conditions were far from ideal, with bumpy one-metre surf, and nine of the 12 opening-round heats were run.
While Huxtable just failed to claim the biggest of scalps, compatriot Jacob Willcox beat top Australian Julian Wilson in their heat.
After winning Monday's trials to gain entry to the Rip Curl Pro, Willcox continued his strong week when he scored 13.74 to Wilson's 13.73.
French surfer Joan Duru was third in their heat with 11.00.
Leading Australian Owen Wright was the biggest name so far to be forced into the second round.
Reigning world champion Gabriel Medina, defending Bells Beach champion Italo Ferreira and 2017 winner Jordy Smith were among those who advanced to round three.
