World Championship Tour surfing returned to Spain on Monday after the Billabong Pro Mundaka was cancelled last year when the venue disappeared.

Dredging at the river mouth in the Basque region removed the sandbar that provided the waves but the sand returned this year.

Round 8 of the championship wrapped up in France last Saturday as Joel Parkinson beat Mick Fanning in an all Australian final.

They now sit fourth and fifth respectively in the ratings led by American Kelly Slater (7017 pts), Australian Taj Burrow (5968) and Hawaiian Andy Irons (5841), all five still in contention for the world title.

Four events remain, including Mundaka, and many in the top 45 will be anxious to avoid early elimination from the Spanish round to boost chances of retaining a WCT spot in 2007.

Metre plus waves were on offer early on Monday for the non-elimination first-round heats.

Winners from the three-man contests progress straight to round three.

Aussie Luke Stedman won heat one and American Tim Reyes took heat two honours before the rising tide forced organisers to put the event on hold.

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