Kelly Slater expects the world's best surfers to be "dodging bullets" on Friday when a predicted huge swell hits Bells Beach for the concluding stages of the Rip Curl Pro.
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The 11-time world champion was the first man through to the round of 16 after ousting Australian world title hope Julian Wilson in a tactical encounter on Thursday.
Wilson was frustrated after passing up priority on what turned out to be the best wave of a heat which the the 47-year-old Slater won 11.84 points to 7.20.
As soon as he got out of the water, Slater was looking ahead to what is being described as a "50-year storm", with the prospect of a 15-foot (five-metre) swell on Friday and Saturday.
"It's going to be big; it could be a 20-year swell from Point Break," Slater said.
"It's always when you put that expectation that it doesn't happen.
"I think it's going to be too big for Bells tomorrow and we'll be trying to catch the inside waves."
Slater said he would have to search around for a bigger board to tackle whatever Bells offered up.
"Tomorrow's round is going to be dodging bullets," he said.
"I don't know that it's going to be favouring anybody.
"I think it's just going to be choosing the right waves and positioning yourself.
"Surf wise, I don't think anyone looks like a giant favourite; maybe a John John (Florence) or something like that.
"I'm just expecting it to be some big mushy walls out wide and we're going to be trying to sneak in on some six-to-eight footers.
"But it could be as big as '81. Who knows?"
It was a second successive disappointing result for world title contender Wilson, who bowed out at the same stage at the season-opening event on the Gold Coast earlier this month.
"I was definitely thinking for (Wilson), for his confidence and his year now, the pressure's on because he's had two bad results and I was going to have two bad results," Slater said.
"So, if there was any talk of me being back in the world title hunt it wasn't going to happen if I lost that heat."
Slater's next opponent will be Peterson Crisanto, who won an all-Brazilian encounter against Michael Rodrigues.
Australians Ryan Callinan and Jacob Willcox also advanced to the round of 16 before the third round was called off for the day with eight heats to go.
Callinan downed Frenchman Michel Bourez 12.50-11.76 and Willcox edged American Kolohe Andino 13.24-12.20.
Australian Associated Press
