Sarah Baum and Elle Clayton-Brown exited in the same round-three heat on a tough opening day for the Hunter hopes at the 6000-point Port Stephens Toyota Pro on Friday at Birubi Beach.
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The first three rounds of the season-ending women's qualifying series contest were run in one-metre conditions and all locals to hit the water bowed out
South African-born Novocastrian Sarah Baum started in round two and won with a 7.66 total. Nelson Bay's Clayton-Brown came through round two with a second, scoring 9.26 total to trail Alysse Cooper (9.9).
However, they fell in a close round-three heat from which Hawaiian Keala Tomoda-Bannert (13.5) and American Meah Collins (12.93) progressed. Baum (11.53) and Clayton-Brown (11.37) posted back-to-back fives but were left needing sevens to get through.
Newcastle's Madi Poole and Amelie Bourke bowed out in rounds one and two respectively. Merewether's Philippa Anderson and local wildcard Jasmine Sampson start in round four.
