Tyler Wright is in danger of relinquishing her lead in the world surfing championship race after bowing out in the quarter-finals of the US Open.
In a day to forget for the Australians in California, defending world champion Wright and second-ranked Sally Fitzgibbons were both eliminated in the final eight on Wednesday.
Wright was the first to fall when she was upset by Hawaiian Coco Ho at Huntington Beach in 1-1.5m waves.
Ho's opening wave scored 7.83 set the tone, but Wright hit back with her second and third waves scored enough to take the lead.
World No.12 Ho left it late to claim victory, taking a heat-turning wave with less than two minutes on the clock to record her best result since September.
American Courtney Conlogue, Wright's main rival for last year's world title, could rise from fourth to overtake Wright atop the elite tour leaderboard after progressing to the semi-finals.
Conlogue will need to win the US Open to do so.
Ho, meanwhile, was ecstatic with her victory over Wright.
"They (top surfers) can manufacture scores on very average waves but in the same sense it pushes you. It makes you want to go harder and that's what I tried to do," Ho said.
"I'm stoked. I want to find my feet on the tour and stop doing the QFs (qualifying), but it's such a tight little nook of girls from like No.7 to 13, everyone's really close.
"We're only half way through the year and I feel better than ever."
Fitzgibbons came up against Sage Erickson and the American's opening ride of 6.67 went a long way to her progression to the semi-finals.
Unable to get out of second gear, Fitzgibbons best scores were 4.17 and 4.93.
Erickson was in full praise of her opponent despite the pair twice nearly clashing as they prepared to take waves early in the heat.
"I don't compete too much against Sal. It was aggressive, I was feeling it," Erickson said.
"I was like, 'OK, we're doing this. We're going old school, elbow-to-elbow'.
"I think it was cool to see from Sal because she's so consistent and so kind and gracious and to see her kind of fired up was fun."
Defending US Open champion Tatiana Weston-Webb rounded out the top four by winning a tight heat against France's Johanne Defay.
US OPEN OF SURFING SEMI-FINALS
Tatiana Weston-Webb (Hawaii) v Coco Ho (Hawaii)
Sage Erickson (USA) v Courtney Conlogue (USA)
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