Local giant-killer Morgan Cibilic is the surfer to watch with the WSL Tour event in Newcastle to be completed on Saturday.
The 20-year-old tour rookie, who eliminated world No.1 John John Florence on Thursday, is set to compete in a quarter-final against fellow Australian Ryan Callinan with both the men’s and women’s champions set to be crowned at Mereweather Beach.
Cibilic and Callinan are the only Australians in the last eight of the men’s draw, with one of them to face Adriano de Souza and Gabriel Medina in the semi-finals, with the Brazilian former world champions first in the water.
The third quarter-final is another all-Brazilian affair between Italo Ferreira and Deivid Silva with American Connor Coffin facing Brazil’s Filipe Toledo for a spot in the final four.
The women are down to the semi-finals with an all-Australian battle between Isabella Nicholls and Keely Andrew headlining the action.
Nicholls eliminated seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore on Friday while Sunshine Coast product Andrew is chasing a third career tour final appearance.
Four-time world champion Carissa Moore faces American teenager Caroline Marks in the other semi-final contest.