Ryan Callinan bounces back with semi-final finish at Rio Pro

The 31-year-old goofy-footer, who had dropped three spots to 11^th on the rankings after a 17^th in El Salvador last month, lost to Queenslander Ethan Ewing 15.5 to 12.0 in the semi at stop eight on the CT.

Natural-footer Ewing, the world No.4 before the event, opened with a 5.33 on the consistent four to six-foot lefts and Callinan responded with a 6.0 from two turns and a floating finish.

Ewing, though, took the early advantage with a 6.27 for a 11.6 best two-wave total 10 minutes into the 35-minute heat. His three-turn backhand ride featured a quality vertical snap.

Callinan fell on his next wave, earning just a 2.5 for a 8.5 tally. It left the Novocastrian chasing a 5.61 to regain the lead in the second half of the contest.

He had two failures before waiting with priority for a wave until just inside the last 11 minutes. Callinan ripped in two big carves but fell on the finishing turn to gain a 4.0.

Ewing followed up quickly and improved his position with a 7.5 despite also falling on the finish, after two tail-sliding hits to open.

Down 13.77 to 10.0 with seven minutes left, Callinan needed a 7.77.

Inside the last five minutes, he peeled off two carves before the wave petered out.

Ewing then all but sealed the win, earning an 8.0 and leaving Callinan chasing a 9.5 in the last couple of minutes.

It was Callinan's second-best result of the season, after losing to Ewing in the Bells Beach final, and the 6085 points lifted him a spot to 10^th on 28,495.

Eventual winner Yago Dora is fifth on 32,120. Ewing is third on 40,015.

Newcastle-based two-time world champion Tyler Wright remained second in the women's rankings after losing the final to American Caitlin Simmers. She is locked in for the finals.

Earlier on finals day, Callinan defeated Brazilian Samuel Pupo 13.83 to 9.4 in the quarters.

A day earlier, he edged out Japan's Kanoa Igarashi 12.5 to 12.2 in the round of 16 following several lay days. He had started the contest with a round one win to progress straight to the last 16.