Tyler Wright has blown the women's surfing world title race wide open with victory in France, ensuring an all-Australian three-way battle for the championship.
Five-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons had been locked in what looked to be a two-horse world title race, but their failure to advance past the quarter-finals at the Roxy Pro France in Hossegor opened the door for Wright.
The 20-year-old surged into contention with a crushing victory on Sunday, which lifted her to second on the rankings behind Fitzgibbon and dropped Gilmore to third with just two events remaining.
"I feel like I've been surfing well all year but have had some tough luck in my heats," Wright said.
"That said, I've managed to fly a little bit under the radar and keep myself in the race.
"It's so tight up there at the top of the ratings so it should be a great finish to the year."
The battle will now go down to the wire, with the world champion not to be determined until the finale in Hawaii in November, which follows next month's event in Portugal.
Fitzgibbon, who along with Wright is vying for a maiden world crown, is left with little room for error if she is to maintain her lead.
Wright produced a near-flawless display, scoring 19.20 out of a possible 20 to win Sunday's final over Courtney Conlogue of the United States', who only managed 12.43.
Wright, who knocked out Fitzgibbons in the quarters, set the tone for the final with her first wave - a brilliant 9.5 - and backed it up with an even more impressive 9.7, wowing judges with her creativity on the lip and ability to generate big air.
She credited the superb conditions for her dominant finals display, which included four scores of nine or more.
"That was one of the best finals I've ever been in wave-wise," she said after her second event win of the year.
"It wasn't a wave-catching contest, it was a wave-riding contest and that's the way I love to surf."
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