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Joel Parkinson - Source: Photosport
West Australian Taj Burrow staved off elimination but Joel Parkinson wasn't so lucky as the Margaret River Pro claimed its first high-profile victim.
Parkinson, who won the event in 2002 and finished runner-up to Mick Fanning in last year's world title race, was knocked out of the round of 96 on Thursday after finishing third in his three-man heat.
The 28-year-old's two-wave total of 9.90 was just 0.23 points behind second-placed Chris Ward, with Australian Dayyan Neve (11.40) winning the heat.
Burrow almost suffered the same fate as Parkinson before his late-scoring wave of 7.93 edged him past Kekoa Bacalso, Jay Thompson and Daniel Ross and into the round of 24.
"We knew out in the water that it was a really close heat," Burrow said.
"The commentators kept calling out the scores so I was definitely looking for a late scoring wave.
"When that wave came I knew I had to let loose.
"I made the first two snaps and I worked the wave right through and ended up close in on the reef and got a bit cut up.
"I knew I had an eight scoring wave so it was definitely worth it."
Defending world champion Fanning, Bede Durbidge, Damien Hobgood and CJ Hobgood were other big names to progress to the round of 24.
