Five Australian men will surf for a spot in the final eight in improving conditions at the World Surf League’s Newcastle Cup on Friday.
Organisers have battled small swell since the competition window opened last Thursday, but clean conditions have finally arrived at Merewether Beach for the pointy end of the second Championship Tour event on the revamped calendar.
After beating current world No.1 John John Florence on Thursday, local hope Morgan Cibilic faces compatriot Wade Carmichael while Ryan Callinan and Owen Wright meet in another all-Australian heat.
Julian Wilson must also find a way past Brazil’s Adriano de Souza in their match-up.
Four Australian women including Stephanie Gilmore are waiting to contest the women’s quarter-finals, which along with the men’s quarter-finals are on standby for a possible start on Friday.
“Today seems to be the first day the forecast has cooperated,” WSL head of competition Jessi Miley-Dyer said.
“As expected, we’ve got super clean conditions with offshore winds and waves in the three-to-five foot range. We could be looking at another massive day of action.”