Wrice started off his heat against Hawaiian Cody Young and France’s Kauli Vaast in top form, posting an early score of 6.50 with his first wave of the competition.

But Young quickly hit his straps to run away with the heat in clean 2-to-3 foot waves.

A quick flurry saw Young post scores of 7.27, 7.57 and 7.40 to eventually compile a two wave total of 14.97 when time had expired. Wrice added a 5.33 to finish on 11.83, with Vaast (8.96) struggling to find his rhythm on the opening day of the Championships.

Young advanced straight to round three while Wrice now has a do-or-die showdown with fellow Australian Mikey McDonagh.

McDonagh (8.80) was also second in his heat, which was taken out by Brazilian Mateus Herdy (15.16) in the highest heat score of the day for the boys. McDonagh and Wrice will be very familiar with each other after meeting on the Australian Junior circuit in recent years.

They faced off in the final of the Subway Pro Junior Bells Beach last January where McDonagh took honours.

Other heat winners included Brazil’s Samuel Pupo (12.00), South African Jake Elkington (12.10), Hawaiian Barron Mamiya (13.60) as well as Japanese duo Momoto Tsuzuki (12.10) and Joh Azuchi (11.17).

Liam O’Brien (13.10) and Sandon Whittacker (12.50) flew the flag for the Australian contingent while French duo Erwan Blouin (13.34) and Leo Paul Etienne (12.27) and Che Allan (11.80) of Barbados, all progressed straight to round three.

Meanwhile, 2017 champion and leading Australian girls contender Macy Callaghan got her title defence off to a dream start.

Callaghan was in imperious touch, scoring the best heat score of the day with a 17.50 two wave total. 

“The waves were pretty tricky out there but I managed to find a couple of good lefts,” Callaghan said.

 “It’s great to be back in Kiama, I don’t come here often but I have some great memories here. 

"I got picked up by my sponsor Billabong here when I was 12, I then won my first Australian Title here and then last year my first World Title, so it’s a really special place for me. I’m looking forward to Round Three and what it may bring.”

Australia’s Sophie Fulton (15.54) had a similarly strong day to Callaghan.  Portugal’s Teresa Bonvalot (11.20), Vahine Fierro (10.70), Hawaiian Zoe McDougall (10.17) and Japan’s Minori Kawai (12.10) also went straight through.