Bells Beach: Top Australian surfing hope Owen Wright has set up an absorbing Rip Curl Pro heat with Hawaiian star John John Florence.

Wright and Florence won their heats on Friday morning as the round of 32 continued in historic conditions at Bells Beach, with a massive crowd on hand.

The surf was well above double overhead and was expected to peak in the late afternoon, with American legend Kelly Slater calling the conditions "wild and woolly".

Defending Bells Beach champion Italo Ferreira and fellow Brazilian and reigning world champion Gabriel Medina also won through to the round of 16.

The competition on Friday featured the women's quarter-finals, the second half of the men's round of 32 and then the round of 16.