Leading Aussies head swell of Margaret River Pro shocks

Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing were Australia's biggest casualties on a day of carnage at the Margaret River Pro, both making shock exits on day two of competition.

Defending champion and fan favourite Robinson, who grew up down the road, suffered a loss to unheralded Hawaiian Imaikalani deVault in the round of 32 on Tuesday.

He joined Queenslander Ewing on the sidelines, with the world No.5 beaten by desperate American Crosby Colapinto.

The Australian big guns weren't alone, with top-ranked Italo Ferreira and No.2 Yago Dora also going down earlier in the day.

Both Brazilians were eliminated by Australians with Jacob Willcox taking out Ferreira and wildcard Mikey McDonagh shocking Dora, with South African Jordy Smith and Japan's Kanoa Igarashi now both contenders to wear the leader's yellow jersey.

A huge swell arrived at the famous Western Australian break for the resumption of competition after two lay days, with wave faces at times topping five metres.

There were broken boards aplenty as surfers were pounded on Main Beach, which was at its ferocious best.

Sally Fitzgibbons survived the first hurdle in securing her future on the World Surf League's top tour, advancing through the elimination heats - the only women's round in action.

Championship Tour veteran Fitzgibbons was pitted in a heat against Bettylou Sakura Johnson, the Hawaiian winner of their final at the Gold Coast Pro last weekend.

Trials winner and local surfer Willow Hardy also lined up with less than a point splitting the trio at the end.

Sakura Johnson (8.84) took the win with 2017 winner Fitzgibbons (8.33) second, ahead of Hardy (7.97).

Next up against current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan, Fitzgibbons needs at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top 10 mid-season cut.

Holding down her No.14 ranking will ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women's field expanding.

Ewing's heat was a first-class contest and he looked in full control early.

But Californian Colapinto, set to fall off the tour with a loss, conjured two big scores to take the win 16.00 to 14.33.

"You come up against Ethan and you know it's going to be fireworks every time," said Colapinto, who broke his elbow early in the season.

"When you come up against him there's one option and that's going out and ripping and going big.

"He got that eight ... but I was able to put that wave together and put the heat together after that and stay calm and it feels really good."

Robinson was expected to cruise past world No.32 deVault but the Olympic silver medallist failed to find his groove and made some uncustomary falls.

DeVault sealed his first ever win over Robinson, tallying 14.33 to 11.33, the Australian unable to find a wave to turn the result on his home break as the clock wound down.

In other results, Ryan Callinan and fellow Aussies George Pittar and Liam O'Brien are headed to the Challenger Series after failing to make the mid-season cut line of top 22.