Former ditch digger Wade Carmichael dug deep but couldn't snatch his first win on the World Surf League tour, the Australian edged out in the final by Filipe Toledo at Jeffreys Bay on Thursday.
The 25 year-old from the Central Coast powered into the final with a win over fancied South African Jordy Smith and looked every chance to do more damage in the decider.
But the Brazilian made the most of his second wave (8.5 points) and could see the trophy in reach with 8.3 on his penultimate effort for his final score of 16.8.
Carmichael, sitting on a best wave score of 8, flubbed his third wave but eyed an opportunity with around 25 seconds remaining to steal the win.
A failed aerial manoeuvre as the clock wound down put paid to those plans however and Toledo held on to take the day.
It was his second victory of the year after taking out the title at his home break in Rio in May.
Carmichael also finished second to the Brazilian that day, in his only other final appearance on tour.
Toledo's win (35,900 points) saw him usurp Australian Julian Wilson (31,960) at the top of the standings after six events.
Wilson lost out to Smith in the quarter-finals.
After disappointing 25th-placed finishes in the previous two events, the powerful Carmichael (21,805) rockets up eight places to No.6 in the rankings, keeping him in the title race with five events left.
