Jackson Baker best of losing bunch on tough day at Sunset Beach

CT rookie Baker pushed South African veteran Jordy Smith all the way in a 16.23 to 14.10 loss as Merewether clubmates Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan fell to American Nat Young and Brazilian Deivid Silva respectively to also bow out in the first round of man-on-man heats at stop No.2 on tour.

In big and bumpy Sunset swell, Baker led with a best two-wave score of 14.1 to 13.4 inside the final 10 minutes after a 7.33 featuring a massive floater finish early then a 6.77 from a flowing three-turn ride next time up.

Smith, though, earned a 7.33 on the same set as Baker's 6.77 to put himself in the mix before a heat-high 8.5 with six minutes remaining to go ahead.

Baker needed a 8.9 to regain the lead and he looked set for a huge score on a wave with five minutes left, but he fell on the close out and earned a 6.73. It gave Baker back-to-back round of 32 exits to start his maiden tour.

Cibilic, last year's world No.5, backing up from a round two exit at Pipeline, bowed out to Young 16.31 to 13.67 despite a late surge.

The 2020 rookie of the year had two heavy wipe outs early and trailed 9.67 to 3.73 at the halfway mark before another one.

Cibilic rallied with scores of 5.6, 6.6 and 6.4 to challenge but Young put together 7.7 and 8.43 waves to leave the Novocastrian needing a 9.53 late. He found his best ride in the final seconds but the 7.07 was not enough.

Callinan, coming back from a broken wrist to start his fourth full season on tour, lost 14.44 to 9.6.

Silva opened with a 7.17 and Callinan struggled to finish a wave until earning a 6.17 with 13 minutes to go, which left him needing a 4.14 to lead.

However, Silva hit back with a heat-high 7.27 with four minutes left, leaving Callinan chasing an 8.27. He wiped out on his last chance.

AAP reports: No.1-ranked Kelly Slater and two-time world champion John John Florence made shock round-three exits.

Slater started the event as the top-ranked surfer after winning the season-opening leg at Pipeline this month.

But the 50-year-old was handed a priority interference in his round-three Sunset heat against South African Matthew McGillivray.

With the round-three heats overlapping, Slater took off on a wave when Florence had the priority in the dying moments of the Hawaiian's match-up against Jake Marshall. Slater pulled out once he realised Florence was taking the wave, but the damage was done.

It meant that Slater could only register a score on one of his waves, and his 2.5 was no match for McGillivray's two-wave total of 15.67.

"John and Jake caught waves and they were in. And I thought 'Ok, I'm kind of free, I'm on the peak, I can get a wave'," Slater said.

"I caught it, and then I saw John paddling down the line. I thought, 'he's pretty far down the line and I'm already riding'. By the time I had committed to my bottom turn, I was like 'Oh shoot, I'm under John's line'.

"He wasn't technically up and riding yet when he crossed my line. I don't think that I affected John's wave in any way. I don't think he got up until he passed me. But the rule is the rule, and we have to play by them."

The result further entrenched Slater's dislike for Sunset Beach.

"Look, I obviously don't love Sunset," he said. "I don't like the wave, I don't like the crowd out here, everyone is on a 10-foot board.

"I don't put the time in. I don't respect the wave and it doesn't respect me back. Unless I change, it's not going to change."

Florence started as hot favourite against tour rookie Marshall, who came up with the goods when it mattered most, wining 13.93 o 13.27.

Conner Coffin and Italo Ferreira also bowed out.

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