Posted by T-Rax Tom on 11th Mar 2016

IT IS ON! Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast

Snapper Rocks lineup came to life Friday ...sort of, as the 2016 Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour got underway in marginal surf at the Superbank for the Quiksilver Pro. Conditions were lacking as the world's best did what they could with bumpy sloppy surf.

Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo picked up where they left off in 2015 taking it to the air.

The Superbank wasn't delivering any 12-second barrels two weeks after its best run of swell in history, Perrow is the guy carrying the pressure -- he's the one who has to break it to the surfers that those barrels aren't in the forecast for this event window.

Trials winner Wade Carmichael was matched up with with Mick Fanning and Matt Banting in his heat. The guy's been on a role of late, starting with his win at the Hawaiian Pro at Haliewa in December. Last month he kept it rolling with a QS1000 win at Avoca Beach.

Carmichael made the most of his Prime Time slot. Mick Fanning looked ready for the tour . Too bad the waves weren't better.

Fanning wasn't the only former Champion with a tough draw, Kelly Slater had the unfortunate luck of running into Matt Wilkinson , Wilko got the Snapper heat win. 

Kelly must having been thinking , why we surfing crap , I know where there is a perfect wave. 

Maybe the conditions will get better. 

Check out the heat analyzer at World Surf League.