American Sage Erickson has joined the battle to wrest the women's world surfing title from Australia's Tyler Wright after claiming a maiden WCT victory.
Erickson became the fifth different winner after six of the 10 events when she clinched the US Open of Surfing title with victory over Hawaii's Tatiana Weston-Webb at Huntington Beach, California.
Wright, who was eliminated by Coco Ho in the quarter-finals, continues to lead the world standings on 41,400 points heading into next month's Trestles Women's Pro in the US, where she will be defending champion.
However it's a tight battle for the 2017 world crown with Erickson rising to fifth on 31,950 points.
Wright leads by just 1500 points from fellow Australian Sally Fitzgibbons, who was also ousted in the quarter-finals at Huntington Beach by Erickson.
American Courtney Conlogue, the only two-time winner this season, is third (38,300) and closed the gap by reaching the semis before also falling to Erickson.
She's followed by Australia's six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore (34,750), who suffered a shock second-round elimination, and Frenchwoman Johanne Defay (33,400).
Erickson, 26, was stunned by her breakthrough week after years of being off and on the world championship tour.
"I don't even know what's going on right now," she said.
"I feel like I've been working really hard for a moment like this and something felt really special about this event.
"I'm not world champ, it's just the US Open, but it still feels like that so I'm going to celebrate it like I am."
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