Australian teenager Nikki van Dijk has matched the best result of her rookie season to earn a quarter-final spot at the world surfing tour event in California.
Van Dijk, whose previous tour event in Fiji ended in a bloody wipeout that required 16 stitches, overcame America's Tatiana Weston-Webb in a fourth round heat to book a quarter-final berth at the US Open event in Huntington Beach.
The 19-year-old scored 12.90 out of 20 to pip Weston-Webb (12.50) and set up a last eight encounter against American Malia Manuel.
"Malia is surfing amazing right now so I've got nothing to lose in my quarter-final against her," van Dijk said.
"I just want to do my best surfing and I'm stoked to be in the quarters. I'd love to keep going so I'll just push it as hard as I can, have fun and enjoy surfing Huntington."
Tyler Wright emerged victorious in her all-Australian battle against Laura Enever.
The tour runner-up from last year scored a 9.00 and an 8.67 to blitz her way into the last eight.
Wright will next meet defending event and world champion Carissa Moore in a tantalising match-up.
"She's a phenomenal surfer and is always kicking my butt," Wright said.
"I'm going to go out there and do my thing and hopefully it'll be entertaining."
The other quarter-finals will also feature Australians with Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore having already booked their last eight spots.
Fitzgibbons, chasing a third consecutive event win, will face France's Johanne Defay while five-time world champion Gilmore is up against young American Lakey Peterson, who eliminated Sunshine Coast rookie Dimity Stoyle to reach the quarter-finals.
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