Australian surfers Callum Robson and Morgan Cibilic have finished first and second at Hawaii's Pipe Challenger event to boost their hopes of returning to the Championship Tour.
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Robson won the four-man final at the iconic Banzai Pipeline break on Hawaii's North Shore.
Cibilic was runner-up, ahead of American Griffin Colapinto and Hawaiian Eli Hanneman.
The win left Robson 11th in the Challenger series standings ahead of the final event next month at Newcastle.
"It hasn't been my best year on the Challenger series, but being 11th is way better than 30-something that I was coming in here," Robson said.
"I just refocused on that little bit of time off, and I was just stoked to come surf Pipeline. I surfed it on the CT, and I just love this place, I love this wave."
The top 10 earn qualification for the championship series. Cibilic improved seven places and is now seventh in the rankings.
Like Robson, he is well-placed to earn a return to the Championship Tour, and the March 9-15 Newcastle Surfest will be held at Merewethar Beach, Cibilic's home break.
Australian world champion Molly Picklum and compatriot Sally Fitzgibbons are in the women's field, which will resume with the round of 32.
Australian Associated Press
