Stephanie Gilmore has set up a showdown with world champion Carissa Moore in the semi-finals of the world surfing tour event on the Gold Coast.
Australia’s five-time world champion breezed through her quarter-final in one-metre swell at Snapper Rocks, scoring 15.43 out of 20 to eliminate American Courtney Conlogue.
American Moore, who scored a near-perfect 19.50 in Tuesday’s third-round action, could only manage 10.33 in Wednesday’s quarter-final but it was enough to beat compatriot Malia Manuel (7.00) and move into the last four.
Gilmore said her hometown knowledge had proved crucial to overcome the fourth-ranked Conlogue.
“Definitely a little bit of local knowledge paid off there,” Gilmore said.
“I got my two really good waves under Courtney’s priority and she actually got her best ride under my priority so when she did that I thought ‘get rid of priority and get busy on the inside’.
“Worked out good.”
The other semi-final will be between South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag and American Lakey Peterson.
Both eliminated Australian hopes with Buitendag beating defending event champion Tyler Wright and Peterson overcoming last year’s runner-up Sally Fitzgibbons.
Organisers will make a call on whether to resume competition for the semi-finals at 12.30pm AEST.