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Mick Fanning wins Bells Beach surf heat

AAP

AAP

Australian surfing champion Mick Fanning has opened Monday’s action at Bells Beach with a convincing win over Hawaiian Dusty Payne.

Fanning took out the round-three heat 16.6 to 11.57 and that put him into round four of the Rip Curl Pro.

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South African Jordy Smith also eliminated Australian Kai Otton, with four more round-three heats to come.

Australian Joel Parkinson, American legend Kelly Slater and Brazilian Gabriel Medina are yet to surf.

Organisers have put the men’s and women’s fourth rounds on standby for Monday, with 1.5 to two-metre surf running at Bells.

Meanwhile, Aussie surfer Joel Parkinson was eliminated with a shock third-round loss to American tour rookie Conner Coffin.

The three-time Bells winner and former world champion had the lead before Coffin scored 8.17 in the last couple of minutes.

That gave the young American the win 16.27 to 14.56 and Parkinson threw away his board in disgust afterwards.

More big names fall

Several more of surfing’s biggest names have been ousted in a morning of carnage at Bells Beach.

Former world champions Kelly Slater,and Brazilian Gabriel Medina headlined the upset third-round exits on Easter Monday.

Just as the competition was digesting that result, Michel Bourez from Tahiti dispatched Slater – despite the American superstar having the highest wave score of their heat.

Slater needed a six-point ride late in the heat and he has racked up those at Bells as easily as the fans get their morning coffees.

But his last wave with seconds left held no salvation for the four-time Bells winner.

Brazilian Caio Ibelli continued the shocks when he ousted Florence in the 1.5m waves.

Young Australian Davey Cathels capped a stunning morning when he beat Medina, the 2014 world champion.

Hawaiian John John Florence also lost his heat before competition was called off for the day due to deteriorating surf conditions.

With reigning world champion Adriano De Souza also losing on Sunday, Fanning is the only world champion left in the field.

Fanning, Slater and Australian Mark Richards also share the most men’s titles at Bells with four apiece.

The Monday morning mayhem opened up the draw nicely for Fanning and compatriot Matt Wilkinson, who was a surprise winner at round one of the tour earlier this month at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast.

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