Callinan, 29, who missed the mid-season cut on the CT just last week, faced a red-hot heat at the Challenger Series opener at Snapper Rocks thanks partly to the return of former world No.2 Julian Wilson.

Wilson won the heat in one to four-foot waves with a two-wave score of 13.63. Another former Surfest champion, Alex Ribeiro, was second with 13.23, leaving Callinan (12.63) chasing a 6.11 in the final minutes to progress. He found only small waves, earning four-point scores, to finish last. Santiago Muniz (12.94) was third and also eliminated.

It was a different story for Cibilic, Australia's male surfer of 2021, on Saturday.

Last year's world No.5, who also missed the CT cut, started with a total of 14.60 to defeat Dylan Moffat (13.83), Evan Geiselman (12.13) and Mikey McDonagh (10.54). He faces Owen Wright, Maxime Huscenot and Te Kehukehu Butler in the round of 48.

Baker, who finished just inside the cut, had little trouble in his heat, surfing just three waves for a 14.66 total to beat Nolan Rapoza (13.63), Jacob Willcox (13.36) and Ian Gouveia (10). He next faces Joao Chianca, Ribeiro and Mihimana Braye.

In the women's contest on Sunday, Redhead-based Sarah Baum progressed with second in her opening heat.