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Stephanie Gilmore has made a slow start to her World Surf League title defence as the Gold Coast Pro event got underway on Thursday.
Even seven-time world champions feel the pressure of defending their crown, just ask Stephanie Gilmore.
The Australian's World Surf League title defence got off to a slow start on Thursday, with Gilmore being pipped in her opening round heat of the Gold Coast Pro by Danish-born, Sunshine Coast-raised Isabella Nichols.
In solid four-to-five foot waves at Duranbah, where the event moved for a second day from traditional venue Snapper Rocks, Nichols scored a two-wave total of 11.60 out of 20 to pip Gilmore by 1.43 points.
Despite not winning the heat, Gilmore progressed to the third round with New Zealand's Paige Hareb finishing third.
The 31-year-old admitted starting her year in the world No.1's yellow rash vest had played a part in her performance.
"First event of the year, it's a light, bright jersey but it has some weight to it," Gilmore said.
"First heat of the year I wanted two excellent scores and really start strong, and I didn't do that.
"It's a long year but it's important to start strong so I've got work to do "
Gilmore will next face NSW tour rookie Macy Callaghan in the third round after the teenager survived a second-round elimination heat along with Sally Fitzgibbons.
Under a new competition format for 2019, last-placed competitors from the first round heats are placed into three-woman heats in the second round.
Only the top two surfers in each heat progress.
Fitzgibbons could only score 9.4 in her opening round heat with young American Caroline Marks (14.50) and West Australian Bronte Macaulay (12.84) finishing ahead of the three-time world championship runner-up.
Fitzgibbons bounced back in the second round, posting a two-wave score of 13.00 to ease past Callaghan (11.83) and Keely Andrew (11.73).
"When you're faced with the little challenges of being in third place or just battling it out with these women - they're the best in the world - you've just got to be okay with whatever situation you're in," Fitzgibbons told AAP.
"Got to have another surf today, so that was the awesome side ... just trusting I've done all the work and let it come out."
Fitzgibbons faces two-time tour runner-up Courtney Conlogue in a eye-catching third-round heat.
Nichols' reward for beating Gilmore is a third-round heat with 17-year-old Marks, who last year became the youngest athlete to secure a fulltime spot on the men's or womens' tour.
Macaulay and Victoria's Nikki Van Dijk are the other Australians into the event's last 16 with 2019 runner-up Lakey Peterson and three-time world champion Carissa Moore also into the third-round.
