Mark Occhilupo set the pace with a near flawless backhand attack at Snapper Rocks to lead an Australian charge at the business end of the Quiksilver Pro.

At 36 Occhilupo looked more like a rookie than the oldest man on the World Championship Tour as he charged a 1.5 metre wave - finding a tube between nine powerful backhand re-entries.

A crowd of several thousand cheered the popular goofy footer's every move on his way to an event high wave score of 9.97 out of a possible ten.

"The crowd is sensational," said a thrilled Occhilupo, who had earlier signalled plans to retire if he failed to remain in the top ten at the end of the 2003 season.

"I just felt comfortable. I've been surfing out here every day for months. I'm feeling really good - really calm."

Occhilupo added a 9.5 to his score giving him a combined 19.47 points - the best of the competition so far and enough to knock out Bronte's Luke Hitchings who finished with a respectable 16.6.

Australians dominated the perfect Gold Coast conditions with world No.3 Luke Egan advancing to the final 16 to surf against Brazil's Neco Padaratz.

While the Coolangatta kids - Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning and Dean Morrison are also through but next face three of America's best.

World No.2 Parkinson believes local knowledge on the tricky point break will give him the edge over former world champion CJ Hobgood.

"I stuff up everywhere else in the world but they stuff up here," he said.

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