But the big news of the day came late as World Champion Joel Parkinson was eliminated in the final heat of the day, after fellow Women's World Champion Stephanie Gilmore also lost her opening round match up.
After a big swell hit Surfers Point for the Trials event on Friday, the women enjoyed the pick of the conditions early Saturday. With the World Championship Tour status for the women's event this year, the women took precedent over the men to start off in the consistent weekend swell which is expected to drop away by the end of Sunday.
Fresh off claiming the last spot in the Women's event by winning the Trials on Friday, local WQS surfer Felicity Palmateer continued her momentum by winning her heat against reigning World Champion Stephanie Gilmore in clean 6 to 8 foot surf on Saturday morning. The win sends Palmateer straight through to the third round, whilst Gilmore will face a sudden death second round match up against 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich of Peru.
"I was pretty tired from the Trials as it was just so big and I got pounded a few times," said Palmateer at her post heat press conference. "It was pretty daunting to surf against Steph as I have always looked up to her. But when you are out there you kind of put that aside and think you have nothing to lose; it is just an awesome chance for me to be surfing against the best girls in the world at my home break."
Reigning Margaret River champion Courtney Conlogue won straight through to the third round as she attempts to make history with three wins in a row at Surfers Point. Top seeds Carissa Moore of Hawaii and Australian young guns Sally Fitzgibbons, Tyler Wright and Laura Enever all progressed straight past the second round elimination heats.
After the first round of the Women's WCT event were completed the call was made to move straight into the Men's Round of 96. Right from the very first heat the top guys made the most of the perfect double-overhead conditions recording a number of high scoring rides.
Julian Wilson was first in the water and the first to progress through to the next round. Wilson strung together a number of nice waves including a 8.53 ride to top the first heat. Already joining him in the Round of 48 are other top ranked WCT surfers Kolohe Andino (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF), Adam Melling (AUS) and Jordy Smith (ZAF).
Another young local benefitting from a wildcard entry also took it up to the world's best in the men's draw. Fifteen year old Margaret River goofy footer Jacob Willcox faced Brazilian superstar and world number 4 Adriano De Souza in a mid-afternoon heat. The current National and State U16 champion turned it on at his local break, upstaging the more fancied De Souza to win the heat.
"I was really stoked just to be able to surf with him (De Souza), let alone take him out in the heat," admitted an excited Willcox afterwards. "I just got a couple of quick ones at the start of the heat to get some scores on the board then I got a good one to finish off the heat."
Willcox enjoyed strong support from a big crowd that had assembled at Surfers Point to watch the opening day of the event. "It helps you out heaps (the hometown support). They are all going for you and it was great with the crowd cheering," said Willcox. "Once I got the wildcard a few weeks back I just spent heaps of time surfing here and preparing like I do for every other comp."
The youngster Willcox had a handful of great rides in the heat and led throughout. His final wave of the heat saw him perform two strong top to bottom moves, the goofy footer ignoring the pressure to put a stamp on his easy heat win. De Souza finished with a nice right hander to progress from the heat and through to the Round of 48 in second place.
The upsets continued through the first round of the Men's event with WCT surfers Willian Cardoso (BRA), brothers Damien and CJ Hobgood (USA) and Kieren Perrow, the 2007 champion at Margaret River, all bundled out in the early heats. But the biggest upset was saved for the end of the day when World Champion Joel Parkinson was eliminated in the first round after an interference call late in his heat.
Parkinson was clearly disappointed with his early exit but put it down to the difficult nature of surfing in an ASP Prime event. "It happens", he said to reporters with a shrug as he left the water.
The remaining heats of the Men's Round of 96 are expected to be completed Sunday morning as the swell forecast remains positive. Local favourite Taj Burrow is expected to be in the first heat of the day around 7am local time. Women's second round will also be on standby.
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