Surfing: Hareb bows out in fourth round

Paige Hareb. Photo / Steve Robertson (ASP)

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 No.1 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 on Wednesday 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 on Monday 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.

Having struggled in 2011, Gilmore needs a big result at Dee Why to come back into the world title race with victory propelling her back into the top three.

Bartels will contest an all-Hawaiian quarter-final against world No.2 Carissa Moore.

Peru's Sofia Mulanovich beat Coco Ho to go through to the quarters where she will meet Brazilian Silvana Lima.

- AAP