Mick Fanning has suffered a shock elimination at the Rip Curl Pro in Portugal but his world championship lead was preserved when Adriano De Souza - in the very next heat - was also upset by a local surfer.
Fanning, holding a small lead over De Souza in the World Surf League standings as he seeks his fourth world crown, went down to Portuguese Frederico Morais in the third round on Sunday in four-to-six foot waves at Supertubos.
Morais launched his assault in the opening minutes with a near-perfect 9.13 and the talented 23-year-old natural footer backed up his top score to beat the Australian 16.03 to 14.40 and take the biggest win of his young career.
"It's amazing to win with good scores against Mick Fanning - I'm super stoked," said Morais.
"I'm feeling really good and I have nothing to lose. I just wanted to show how I surf."
Despite multiple efforts to fight back, Fanning's couldn't find the waves he required.
"I was fighting for the inside and thought the set was done, but when I turned around, Frederico was on a dreamboat," Fanning said.
"He got that nine and backed it up right away with a couple of sixes. I needed close to 16 points before I even stood up; but I put everything into it and I can't be disappointed about that."
Inspired by his fellow countryman, reigning world junior champion Vasco Ribeiro defeated De Souza - only 450 points behind Fanning in second in the standings - in the very next heat.
A late top-score of 8.43 got Ribeiro home 14.36 to 11.80.
Unable to capitalise on Fanning's early exit, De Souza will need a big result at the season-ending Pipe Masters in Hawaii for a shot at his first world title.
Reigning world champion Gabriel Medina advanced to the fourth round courtesy of a huge backhand full rotation on the buzzer against Caio Ibelli.
Ibelli applied pressure on Medina with a 9.77 in the dying moments of the heat, but Medina hit back with a massive aerial to take the win.
The Brazilian is in a good position to take advantage of the elimination of Fanning, De Souza, Owen Wright and Julian Wilson and make a charge up the table and keep his title defence alive.
Joel Parkinson is the last remaining Australian in the contest in Portugal, but after coming last in his round-four heat, he faces an elimination round-five battle against American Kolohe Andino for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Brett Simpson eliminated 11-time world champion Kelly Slater in the third round with a solid display to reach the fourth round for the first time this season.
