World title rivals Sally Fitzgibbons and series leader Tyler Wright have both surfed their way into the final eight of the US Open of surfing at California's Huntington Beach.
Surfing in two-three metre swell with a strong current rushing to the shoreline the Australians performed well in difficult conditions.
Fitzgibbons was all power as she put down the best wave of the day for an 8.0 to complete a best combo score of the day with 14.33 and beat American Sage Erickson and Brazil's Silvana Lima to storm straight into the last eight.
Fitzgibbons got two big turns in before connecting to the inside section of the wave and ripping one final turn for the day's best effort.
And with Wright just 1,500 points ahead of her, Fitzgibbons admitted she has the world champ in her sights.
"I think the title is always the intention," Fitzgibbons said.
"It's about constructing the week where you can consistently build and show up.
"The excitement is there for me especially this year and we're moving on through."
Never one to shy away from a contest Wright failed to win her third round heat and went into a fourth round elimination battle with 25-year-old French wildcard Maud Le Car.
There Wright showed why she is the current yellow jersey leader.
Wright ripped through her second wave with a series of turns and a float to put down a 7.57 before adding a 6.17 late to easily beat Le Car and keep her chances of holding on to the yellow jersey alive.
"It's always a part of the plan to end up in the final so I treat every heat pretty much the same and adapt in the water," Wright said.
In the quarter-finals she will face-off against the woman who beat her in their third round heat, Hawaii's Coco Ho.
Also through to the quarters is current world No.4 Courtney Conlogue, who will jump Steph Gilmore in the rankings after this event at her home break.
Fellow Aussie Nikki van Dijk was eliminated in the fourth round by reigning US Open champion Tatiana Weston-Webb.
US OPEN OF SURFING WOMEN'S QUARTER-FINALS
Johanne Defay (FRA) v Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)
Coco Ho (HAW) v Tyler Wright (AUS)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) v Sage Erickson (USA)
Courtney Conlogue (USA) v Pauline Ado (FRA)
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