Waves Fire on Opening Day of Komunity Project Central Coast Pro

Connor Lyons gouging a solid Avoca wall. - WSL / Grant Sproule

Day one Komunity Project Central Coast Pro pres. by Rockstar kicked off in heavy six foot surf at Avoca today as early round Men's competitors fought to stay in the draw.

French powerhouse Diego Mignot posted the highest single wave score of the day in his second round heat, notching up a near-perfect 9.00-point ride. The French goofy-footer nailed one of the most crucial maneuvers seen all event, hitting a massive section and riding out in ankle deep water to post the aforementioned score and seal himself a spot into Round Three of competition.

Deigo Mignot comes off the bottom on a bomb at Avoca. - WSL / Grant Sproule

"It's pretty big and rough out there," said Mignot. "You really need to find the waves that have a corner on them and make the most of it. I'm stoked to get three good turns and get that 9.00 score. My goal over here for these events are to post as many high scores as I can."

After taking out the recent Burleigh Pro in Queensland, Indonesian Oney Anwar is keen to post another solid result on the Australian Qualifying Series (QS) leg. Anwar proved he was moving in the right direction today, locking in an 8.00 wave score on a buckled board. Anwar performed the turn with reckless abandon and took out the heat convincingly.

Although he was riding a creased board, Oney Anwar could not help but hit this massive section during Round Two. - WSL / Grant Sproule

"I felt great at the start of the year after winning Burleigh, but then I lost in the 6,000 event at Newcastle and Manly early and it really hurt. I think I just kept thinking I could win, instead of focusing on where the waves were breaking and what my game-plan was," said Anwar. "I actually creased my board before that eight-point ride so I thought I'd have to play it safe, but then there was a really good section and I knew I'd have to hit it to make it worthwhile. I'm just stoked to make it."

Despite feeling massively under-gunned on a 5'10" surfboard, Lennox Head's Zac Wightman put on a fearless display of surfing, nailing a handful of exciting turns on thick waves. Wightman posted an 8.00 wave score in the tricky lineup to win his third round heat ahead of Brazilian dynamo Victor Mendes who claimed the runner-up spot.

Zac Wightman posting an excellent 8.00 point single wave score on his way to winning his Round Two heat. - WSL / Grant Sproule

"It's actually a little scary out there," said Wightman. "I'm under-gunned riding a 5'10" which is way too small for out there, but thankfully I was still able to get through heats. We have a lot of these sort of waves around home and I think I favor them, but it's rare we ever get them in an event. It's definitely not quantity over quality when surfing waves like this."

Not to be outdone, Sunshine Coast native Harry Bryant went out one heat later in the third round of competition and proceeded to match Wightman's previously mentioned score with an array of giant backside snaps followed by an innovative air-reverse. The 8.00 wave score allowed Bryant to gain the upper hand against Brazilian Hizunome Bettero who posted a 7.00 and a 6.50.

Harry Bryant scored an excellent 8.00 point ride on his first day of competition in 2017. - WSL / Ethan Smith

"This is my first event for 2017 and it feels good to get a win," said Bryant. "The waves are definitely wild out there and I'm exhausted now, but also pretty excited for the fact there's waves for an event. Hopefully, we'll see the swell go more east over the course of the next few days and we get some amazing swell."