GOLD COAST—Eighteen years on tour and seven world championships later, Layne Beachley admits she still doesn't have a handle on her nerves.
At the season-opening Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast, the 35-year-old veteran looked set for an elimination round two after an admittedly shaky start against 20-somethings Melanie Bartels from Hawaii and Sydneysider Nicola Atherton.
Trailing in last place, Beachley pulled out a 6.67 wave score in the dying stages of the heat to finish in second-place and scrape through to the third round.
Despite continually stating she has nothing to prove after seven world titles, Beachley admitted the pressure had got to her despite the ideal conditions at Duranbah beach.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, (but) I'm the queen of doing that," she told reporters.
"I came into this year thinking I've got nothing left to prove yet I did the complete opposite out there.
"I think I was actually trying too hard."
Beachley has had a mixed result over the years at the opening world tour event, with two finals appearances in the last four years and last year's opening heat trouncing at the hands of then-14-year-old wildcard Carissa Moore, who went on to the contest the final.
Beachley was quick to praise the competition's young stars today, with Moore again winning a wildcard entry and surfing against current world champion Stephanie Gilmore in their opening heat.
Gilmore, whose home break is just around the corner at Snapper Rocks, surfed a near-perfect 9.17 ride to secure an easy progression into the third round where she will again meet Moore, who finished second.
The woman dubbed "Happy Gilmore" said she was pleased her title defence was on track.
"I guess when the commentators are screaming out that you're the world champ the whole heat, I kind of feel a bit of pressure but I think it makes me rise to the occasion as well," she said.
The former and current wildcards (Gilmore won as one in 2005) shook hands after the heat, with Gilmore praising her younger rival.
"I'm definitely going hard, I'm going to have to go hard to beat Carissa Moore, she surfs pretty good, that little rat," Gilmore said, winking at the youngster.
"She was out there pulling out sevens and sixes and it's going to take that and more to win heats in a WCT event."
The women's best ranked players made a meal of the clean one-metre waves, with world No.2 Sofia Mulanovich from Peru and Brazil's Silvana Lima both winning their heats.
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