New Zealand surfer Paige Hareb has bowed out in the fourth round of the world surfing series at Sydney's Dee Why Beach after a loss to Hawaiian Melanie Bartels.
Taranaki's Hareb scored 9.87 points from her two counting waves while Bartels replied with an 11.90.
Sixteen-year-old wildcard Nikki Van Dijk won her
elimination heat to set up a quarter-final clash with world No1 and fellow Australian Sally Fitzgibbons at the Beachley Classic on Sydney's Dee Why beach.
Van Dijk, hand picked by Lane Beachley herself, took advantage of the perfect four-foot swell yesterday to beat American Courtney Conlogue at the world's richest women's surfing event.
The youngster, who stunned Fitzgibbons in the first round on Tuesday, recorded the highest wave score of the day posting an 8.5 to go through to the quarters and set up a re-match with the top ranked 20-year-old who's fresh from breakthrough wins at Bells Beach and Taranaki.
Tyler Wright, also scoring an 8.5 wave, scored the highest for the day, an impressive 15.50 total, to beat fellow Australian Chelsea Hedges and will meet reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the quarters.
Four-time world title holder Gilmore got off to the perfect start in her defence of the Beachley Classic, posting a wave score of 9.85 in ideal six-foot swell to cruise comfortably through to the quarters.
Bartels will contest an all-Hawaiian quarter-final against world No2 Carissa Moore.
