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After falling short at the Pipe Pro, Australia's Molly Picklum's hopes of successfully defending her Sunset Beach surf title are on hold due to poor conditions.

Molly Picklum's title defence at the Sunset Pro remains on hold with the World Surf League delaying round one for a third day due to poor conditions.

The Australian young gun took over the No.1 ranking last year when she won the event on Oahu's north shore, which was her maiden Championship Tour title.

She beat 2023 world champion Caroline Marks in the final, before finishing the year ranked world No.5.

Picklum has again started the year in hot form, reaching the final of the season-opening Pipe Pro, also in Hawaii, last week before losing to another American Caitlin Simmers.

The 21-year-old NSW surfer will take on fellow Aussie Isabella Nichols and local favourite Gabriela Bryan in the opening round.

Simmers has a first round showdown with young Australian Sophie McCulloch and Brazilian Luana Silva.

Sally Fitzgibbons, Tyler Wright and India Robinson are the other Australian women in action, with organisers hopeful of a wind-change and a rise in the swell in the coming days.

Six Australians - along with Sydneysider Connor O'Leary, who represents Japan - will contest the men's competition, with Jack Robinson scheduled to be the first in the water when he takes on the USA's Crosby Colapinto and Deivid Silva of Brazil in heat two.

World champion Felipe Toledo downed Griffin Colapinto in the final to win the men's event at Sunset Beach last year but has withdrawn from the 2024 tour for mental health reasons.

Robinson was Australia's best performer in the men's draw, bowing out in a high-scoring semi-final against Griffin Colapinto.