Fitzgibbons, 18, was eliminated from her first event as a full-time ASP Women's World Tour competitor when compatriot Woods landed a 6.50 wave in the dying stages of the round-three heat.

That score combined with an earlier wave worth 7.0 to give the 24-year-old a total of 13.50, which was good enough to trump Fitzgibbons' 11.50 from rides worth 7.83 and 3.67.

Although Woods entered the season-opening event seeded higher, the result was a shock after Fitzgibbons scored the highest heat score on her way to defeating Brazilian No 2 Silvana Lima in round one.

Fitzgibbons was battling a back injury sustained on Monday and was receiving treatment after being bundled out of the $90,000 event.

Yesterday's action took place in 1m swell at alternate venue Duranbah Beach after three lay days due to small conditions at Snapper Rocks.

Woods, from Copacabana, went on to lose to Hawaiian Coco Ho in the quarter-finals, with Ho now to take on compatriot Melanie Bartels in one semi-final, Bartels having beaten world No 3 Sofia Mulanovich.

Two-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore, who eased past Hawaii's Megan Abubo and fellow Aussie Chelsea Hedges, will face Kiwi rookie Paige Hareb in the other semi.

Gilmore, on the hunt for a third straight world crown, can already smell blood.

"It'll be interesting to see how Paige will hold up," she said.