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Aust rookie fires in WSL event at Pipeline

Ed JacksonAAP
Australia's Jack Robinson (pic) will face Kelly Slater in the last 16 of the WSL event at Pipeline.
Camera IconAustralia's Jack Robinson (pic) will face Kelly Slater in the last 16 of the WSL event at Pipeline.

Australian tour rookie Jack Robinson has set up a clash with surfing legend Kelly Slater after posting the performance of the day at the WSL tour event in Hawaii on Friday.

On his full-time tour debut, Robinson scored a 9.23 on his way to a two-wave total of 17.73 out of 20 in his round of 32 heat against Julian Wilson at the Pipe Masters event.

Former world tour runner-up Wilson could only score 10.17 in response in a disappointing start to the Australian's championship campaign.

The victory means the talented West Australian will be first up when competition resumes against 11-time world champion Slater.

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The 48-year-old came away unscathed after hitting his head on the reef in his round of 32 heat with Australian Ethan Ewing.

Despite his rookie status, Robinson looms as a serious contender at Banzai Pipeline having won a qualifying series event at the famed break in February.

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The 22-year-old is however reluctant to believe competing at a location where he's had success is that much of a benefit.

"In Hawaii, it doesn't matter who you are," Robinson said.

"Of course there are certain guys that are really good.

"It'd be the same if I was starting at Snapper, I'd look at it the same way as looking at here.

"We still have to have the same excitement, the same energy for everything. Don't let it down for any event."

The winner of the heat between Robinson and Slater will face South African Jordy Smith in the quarter-finals after the veteran won the final heat of the day against Brazil's Caio Ibelli.

Another Australian, Jack Freestone, also has a marquee match-up in the round of 16 against Brazil's two-time world champion Gabriel Medina.

Freestone, 28, was too strong for Portugal's Frederico Morais in his round of 32 heat as the Pipe Masters resumed following a hiatus after being suspended last Saturday when five officials tested positive for coronavirus.

The only other Australian to reach the last 16 is Newcastle product Ryan Callinan, who is facing defending world champion Italo Ferreira for a quarter-final berth.

Callinan had to come through an elimination heat at the start of the day to reach the last 32 but made the most of that second chance.

There was no such luck for fellow Australians Mikey Wright and Wade Carmichael, who knocked out 2015 world champion Adrian de Souza early in the day before falling in their round of 32 heats.

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