Parkinson on top of Rip Curl Pro 14 Oct 2012 - 10:09am Australia's surfing championship leader Joel Parkinson took early honours after round one of the Rip Curl Pro in Portugal, posting the highest heat total on Saturday. Parkinson, who holds a slight edge over 11-times champion Kelly Slater and countryman Mick Fanning, finished with a 17.17 out of a possible 20 to take day one honours and advance straight to the third round. The 31-year-old is yet to claim an event win on tour this year, despite leading the title race, and said rectifying that was his main aim this week at the third-last event of the world surfing season. 'I'm here to win,' Parkinson said. 'Everyone is. I've had a few seconds this year but am keen to put a win on the board. 'I'm not thinking about the world title race really. I need to get some wins first before that can become a reality.' Fanning suffered a surprise loss in the first round to fellow Australian Kieren Perrow but bounced back to eliminate French wildcard Pierre-Valentin Laborde in the second round. 'I was a little bit freaked out this morning,' Fanning admitted. 'The waves weren't that great so I just wanted to go out again and catch waves in the afternoon's heat. 'I've been a little bit on edge ... so it was good to get a few waves under the belt and just relax a little.' Two-times world champ Fanning said he had been trying