The big guns all staked their claims early on the opening day of the national championships at St Clair beach yesterday.
With a clean 1.5m-2m swell in the morning greeting surfers, some impressive rides were put in.
Defending champion Billy Stairmand, from Raglan, started out well, scoring 15.50 points out of 20 to win his heat.
Also notching that score was Mount Maunganui surfer Alex Dive, who went through to the next round.
Four-time champion Maz Quinn, of Gisborne, also performed well in his event to go through to the next round.
He has won the championships four times and appears to have a liking for the waves at St Clair.
He may have a match-up against Stairmand in the quarterfinals as early as this afternoon.
The wind changing to the north in the afternoon had an impact on the surf, quietening it down.
Other competitors to post heat wins included Jordan Griffin (Mount), Matt Hewitt (Mount), Sean Kettle (Taranaki), Cain Aldridge (Taranaki), Keone Campbell (Taranaki) and Dunedin's own JC Susan who was also a day one standout.
Ella Williams, from Whangamata, was the top-performing surfer in the open women's division, winning the last heat of the round.
Despite a strong cross-shore wind developing in the afternoon, Williams surfed to an excellent heat total to advance to the semifinals.
She will now face off against defending champion Gabriella Sansom (Auck) and her sister, Bianca, in the semifinals along with young Taranaki standout Zhana Hutchieson.
Britt Kindred (Mur) and Kea Smith (Mnt) were two other heat winners in the first round and will match up against each other in the semifinals.
Conditions are expected to be good for day two of the event with the swell remaining solid at 1.5m and light winds forecast.
Day two marks the first day that the senior men's divisions are contested as well as the younger boys and girls divisions.
The longboard takes place from tomorrow and stand-up paddleboard and kneeboard being on Thursday.
