Stephanie Gilmore and the dozen local hopes have had their Gold Coast Pro campaigns paused after officials called a lay-day at Burleigh Heads.
Men’s round-of-32 and women’s round-of-16 heats won’t be contested until at least Tuesday after action was paused on Monday morning.
The forecast is for smaller conditions until Thursday, when the swell is expected to grow.
Back on the Championship Tour for the first time since 2019, the Gold Coast event produced an eventful opening weekend that saw Jack Robinson bundled out and veterans Julian Wilson and Gilmore progress in their top-level returns.
They are two of 12 Australian hopes still alive, with Ethan Ewing, Liam O’Brian, Molly Picklum and Sally Fitzgibbons all impressive in the opening round on Saturday.
Wilson, who retired after Tokyo’s 2021 Olympics, won his way through qualifying, then scored a 15.47 in Sunday’s elimination round to knock out compatriot Robinson, who won at Bells Beach last month.
His task gets no easier, slated to face Brazil’s series leader and defending world champion Italo Ferreira, whose aerial prowess makes him tough to stop on the Queensland coast.
“I can’t wait,” Wilson said.
“I just really wanted the opportunity to get that match-up … I can showcase something that can challenge him.”
