A quarter-final showdown with world No 3 Coco Ho beckons for Sally Fitzgibbons after the Gerroa surfer stormed into the final eight of the Billabong Pro at Honolua Bay yesterday.
Fitzgibbons will meet the Hawaiian after two impressive efforts on the opening day of the final event of the ASP Women's World Tour.
The tour rookie booked her spot in the quarter-finals of the $100,000 contest after defeating another Hawaiian, Alana Blanchard, in round three.
Fitzgibbons posted a two-wave score of 16.40 in perfect conditions, with waves reaching up to 2m, to outclass Blanchard, who finished with a total of 10.26.
Earlier in the day, Fitzgibbons was too good for Kiwi Paige Hareb and Brazil's Bruna Schmitz in the opening heat of the contest.
Fitzgibbons scored waves worth 7.33 and 6.17 to emerge triumphant ahead of Schmitz (8.90) and Hareb (7.17).
The 18-year-old entered the final event of 2009 on the back of her best ASP World Tour finish to date, second at the Gidget Pro on Sunset Beach late last month.
Fitzgibbons, the 2008 World Qualifying Series champion, is fifth on the tour rankings.
Newly crowned world champion Stephanie Gilmore also advanced to the final eight.
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