PORT Macquarie's Matt Banting had a golden chance to knock Brazilian world champion Gabriel Medina off his mantle on Wednesday, but he couldn't bring home the points at Bell's Beach.
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Banting needed a 7.16 in his final wave of the first heat in Victoria but fell short in small swell.
He finished with 11.83. Medina won the heat with 12.76 while Australian Joe Van Dijk came in third with 8.23.
Medina will go straight through to round three, while Banting will have to surf in round two, but it's unclear when that will be.
A fading southwest groundswell is forecast for Thursday.
Conditions were due to be re-assessed on Wednesday afternoon.
Banting's father Lenny said the waves he selected "just didn't really do it for him".
"He surfed well," Banting senior said.
"That heat could have gone either way."