It was mentioned yesterday that we might have an epic day on our hands today. Based on the match-ups and the quality of the surf it could have been the best Round of 32 surfing day ever.

It made me rethink a lot of my assumptions and admit some of them were just wrong. I mean screamingly, flat Earth, wrong as fuck wrong. Starting with Bells looking anachronistic as a modern competition wave. In its form today, it was as close to a pure display and contest of surfing skill you could possibly imagine. No-one could come out with any excuses about getting a fair opportunity to show your wares.

The sporting truism that you don't get better at something by not doing it, AKA Father Time is undefeated, was blown into a million tiny bit of spray and sent to the heavens by Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater.

Kelly (Sloane/WSL)

Mick made current World Number One Kanoa Igarashi look stiff and brittle. Kelly's opening ride against rookie Imaikalani Devault looked more progressive than anything any twenty-year old had done all day. Going beyond vertical to break the track and put the fins all over the lip. Kelly got run down by a faster finishing opponent, blaming fatigue from COVID for his fade out through the latter part of the heat, which of course is classic Kelly. He was simply overpowered by a younger, faster, stronger man.

Fanning was just classic. He blitzed the opening exchange - was underscored for a 7. It was as if judges did not want the retired wildcard to blow apart a title race. Which remains a criticism of Fanning getting the wildcard in the first place. Is there another sport where someone retired would be parachuted into the top flight of competition as a spoiler? Is it a knock on the integrity of the competitive architecture of pro surfing?

Quite possibly.

Fanning increased the pressure on Kanoa, cranking insane bottom turns into a fast whipped variety of top turns for an 8.77. In the end Kanoa dropped his bottle and was left chasing a score that never came as the onshore wind made the type of carving turns that Fanning was doing close to impossible. The air game was a potential savour but he could not land one.

Mick (Sloane/WSL)

There's no doubt the cut has enlivened this mid-part of the tour. I find myself having second thoughts about it after today. It seems shocking that so much of the current energy of the tour roster - I'm thinking Jacko Baker here, or Joao Chianca, especially Chianca - are around or behind the cut line.

This is not deadwood.

Baker got through against Jordy, in dreamy 4-6 foot Bells Bowl. Just laid down bigger turns on better waves. Once again he started his heat with a two point spread on the opening exchange. That's huge for a rookie. Jordy tried a desperation hassle move as the clock ticked down to try and manufacture an interference. The Aussie surf fan in me called it a dog act but objectively speaking it made perfect sense to try and beat an opponent any which way you can.

Lets call those opening nine heats, bookended by Owen/Griff and Fanning/Igarashi as about as good as pro surfing gets. Pressure brought out the best in Owen, finally, who needs to win and keep winning from now to avoid relegation. As did Morgan Cibilic, whose turns were immense, despite admitting he felt nervous going into every turn. Morgs said later in his presser that despite the nerves he'd decided to “keep attacking no matter what”.

Ethan Ewing was close to flawless on the face. He looks to me like the only one who could beat John Florence turn for turn if they end up matched up in proper Bells Bowl.

I thought for sure Mikey Wright and Filipe Toledo's heat would end up the heat of the day. Wright threw down huge power gouges and laybacks wave after wave on silky smooth six footers. If the heat was decided on sheer volume of ripping Mikey would have won. The answer to the question: Why is Mikey Wright in this competition suddenly became stunningly clear. Filipe couldn't match the muscle or the water displacement but judges paid the faster turn speed and variety. There was a hair in it at the final buzzer.

Mikey (Sloane/WSL)

Of course the heat of the day did manifest two heats later, after Connor O'leary squeaked past Zeke Lau. It's been a low key, downbeat start to the year for John Florence. After loosing edits through the Hawaiian season that left no doubt as to who was the best surfer in the world, his campaign this year has been oddly lacking in presence.

There was no lack of presence in his opening wave against Joao Chianca. Those big layback hooks, tweaked in a way no-one else can quite manage may have created an over-reaction in the judging panel but the ensuing waves cannot be overstated as to their brilliance. When John feels it, something seems to take over in him. It's not a competitive urge, more the type of total intoxication and super-abundance of will that Fred Nietzsche said characterized the artist working at the peak of their powers.

John (Sloane/WSL)

And he was pushed. Chianca was brilliant. As hard as Florence went, Chianca went harder. He was just slightly below the dual World Champ in terms of skill and wave choice.

It was Chianca's heat and subsequent presser where I started to doubt the wisdom of the mid-season cut. If guys like him, clear World Title talent, were about to be benched...

Joao (Sloane/WSL)

The wind went flukey devil wind. It was begging for airs. First Kolohe Andino launched a serviceable alley oop that ended up in a tantrum in the shorebreak as he angrily impugned the panel for low-balling his previous scores. That was enough to send a heart-broken Jadson Andre to the sheds, possibly in a career ending move.

Jack Robbo looked more positive with his air, another alley-oop. More lofted, and intense, with a brace of turns fore and aft of it. Anyone who has surfed Rabbits, or Gas, or Cobblestones with a fresh southerly on it will understand the degree of familiarity Robbo was feeling with this wind cutting against the grain of the trim line. It's home to him, and he looked it. Smashed Leo Fioravanti, who also is way down past the cut line.

The final heat was a doozy with R'Cal and Italo. Two blazing backhands. R'Cal took it to the air. Fell when he shouldn't and in the the end the heat and his year ebbed away from him. He will be back.

Italo (Sloane/WSL)

I may have been wrong about many things RE Bells Beach. But I wasn't wrong about the drawing power of Mick Fanning. He's everywhere, at all times. A ubiquitous presence that will have the bean counters at Rip Curl and the suits at Tourism Victoria salivating. His presence in the draw is huge news. What happens the day after, if he does pull off a miracle win is a bridge the sport will have to cross somewhere down the track.

In the meantime, a small rebellion of surfers on the wrong side of the cut line will be fomenting revolution as Bells winds down and the tour prepares to move west into the sunset.

//STEVE SHEARER