World title hopes for Australian surfer Owen Wright appear to have been dashed after he was eliminated in a men's World Surf League (WSL) event in Portugal.
In bumpy metre-high surf at Supertubos on Saturday Australian Julian Wilson was also eliminated in the Mens Championships Tour heats.
Brazilian Caio Ibelli, 22, who is currently 2nd on the Qualifying Series rankings, claimed his first-ever CT heat win, eliminating Wright who is current WSL No. 3.
Ibelli displayed an impressive air-game to apply pressure on Wright early, before backing it up with a solid three-turn forehand wave to advance into Round 3 and effectively dash the Australian's hope of getting the 2015 Title.
Wright praised Ibelli's performance but was disappointed at his defeat.
"Given my size, these conditions just aren't the best for me.
"I could have maybe selected some bigger waves, but it was tough for me out there," Wright said.
"Hats off to Caio."
Wright said his loss was devastating to his World Title campaign.
"I'm pretty upset about it. Today's conditions are not indicative of what we've been battling in all year so to have a critical heat going down in that is disappointing.
"I think it probably ends my campaign for this season. Perhaps if I win Pipe and the other contenders do poorly here and in Hawaii, I'll have a shot, but it's unlikely at this stage."
Event Wildcard Mason Ho, 27, from Hawaii produced the second major upset of the day in the Round 2 elimination of another Australian, WSL No. 4 Julian Wilson.
"I'm shattered to be honest," Wilson said.
"The conditions today are better than when I surfed my first round and we had a good heat. Mason was able to get an air at the end and turn the heat. You work so hard all year to get in the title race and then it comes down to these conditions. It's a tough pill to swallow for sure."
Up first when the event resumes on Sunday will be Australian Kai Otton against C.J. Hobgood of the US.
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