Australia's two best-ranked female surfers face sudden-death second-round duels at Huntington Beach in California after failing to top their opening heats on Tuesday.
In three-foot surf at the iconic beach break, Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright couldn't advance to the refuge of the third round at the US Open of Surfing, the sixth World Surf League event.
Wright was the most disappointing, the defending champion managing two best wave scores of 4.33 and 1.67 to be well beaten by Hawaiian Malia Manuel (12.50) and fellow Australian Dimity Stoyle (8.37).
Fitzgibbons, coming off a stirring title win at the Fiji Pro last month with a perforated eardrum, banked 12.44 but couldn't match classy Frenchwoman Johanne Defay (17.44).
Nikki Van Dijk was the best of the Aussies, the 20-year-old from Phillip Island in Victoria accounting for current series leader Hawaiian Carissa Moore in heat three.
Two late wave scores of 6.77 and 6.73 got Van Dijk home over Moore (12.87) and Barbados' Chelsea Tuach (10.93).
"I was pretty composed the whole heat," Van Dijk said.
"I knew that if there was a wave that opened up I'd be able to get the score and I was so lucky at the end that I did. Once I got moving and caught some waves I felt really good out there."
In the last heat, Australian Laura Enever (9.10) was second behind Hawaiian Tatiana Weston-Webb (14.43) but outpointed South African Bianca Buitendag (7.83).
Fitzgibbons, who sits third on the standings, will be aiming to edge closer to Moore and American Courtney Conlogue with a strong showing at Huntington Beach while Wright (fifth) will need a surge over the last five events of the tour to vie for the world crown.
Australia's reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore is missing from the US Open of Surfing due to an ongoing knee injury but hopes to be good to go for the next event at Lower Trestles, 50km down the coast from Huntington Beach.
ELIMINATION ROUND TWO HEATS:
HEAT 1: Bianca Buitendag v Dimity Stoyle
HEAT 2: Tyler Wright (Aust) v Alessa Quizon
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore v Chelsea Tuach
HEAT 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (Aust) v Keely Andrew (Aust)
HEAT 5: Lakey Peterson v Sage Erickson
HEAT 6: Silvana Lima v Laura Enever (Aust)
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