WEST Australian surfer Taj Burrow booked a quarter-final spot in the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach with yesterday's highest two-wave total against three-time world champion Andy Irons. Round three, plus four round-four heats were completed at Winkipop - next to the main contest site - where there were clean one-metre waves all day.

Burrow, 31, came into the event with high hopes after winning the Pipeline Masters in December and round one this year on the Gold Coast. He posted a 9.37 ride yesterday en route to beating Matt Wilkinson before taking Irons down in round four. The 2007 champion meets Brazilian Adrian de Souza in the quarter-finals.

South African surfer Jordy Smith lit up the waves in his 30-minute round-four heat against Hawaiian Roy Powers and reached the round of eight with a two-wave combined score of 17.30 to Powers' 13.77. Smith, who beat Australian tour rookie Owen Wright in round three, is in his third season on the ASP tour and was second to Burrow on the Gold Coast last month.

The 22-year-old's next heat will be against reigning world champion Mick Fanning, who beat Brazilian teenager Gabriel Medina in round three and Portugal's Tiago Pires yesterday. Defending champion Joel Parkinson will surf a round-four heat against fellow Australian Adrian Buchan when competition resumes after beating Brazilian Neco Padaratz yesterday.

Nine-time world champion Kelly Slater overcame an ankle injury and a strong start from young Hawaiian Dusty Payne to win his round three heat 15.34 to 13.84. The three-time Rip Curl Pro winner will meet Tahiti's Michel Bourez in round four.