Ryan Callinan exits in round of 16 at Rio Pro after earlier heat win

The Merewether goofy-footer rose one spot to 14^th on the Championship Tour live rankings ahead of the finals in Itauna. The Rio Pro is the second last chance to secure a top-five position and qualify for the world championship finals at Lower Trestles, California.

Veteran regular-footer Smith kept his place in fifth with victory over Callinan, 12.1 to 7.3, in the round of 16. In bumpy, deteriorating conditions, Smith started best with scores of 5.5 and 4.83 on his backhand, while Callinan began with two throwaways.

Callinan then earned scores of 3.4 and 3.9 with a layback finish and a two-turn combo. Smith, though, tightened his grip on the heat with a 6.6 from three big turns, leaving Callinan chasing an 8.2 in the final minutes. He had a last-ditch shot in the final 10 seconds but got in only one turn for a 2.23.

Earlier, Callinan edged out Igarashi in the elimination round 13.54 to 12.8. Igarashi led with a 6.17 and a 4.17 inside his first four waves, while Callinan had three misses before earning a 7.17 from a huge carve and snap midway through the heat.

Igarashi improved his lead, 12.83 to 8.5, with a 6.63 before Callinan rode through the whitewash off an air reverse finish to get a 6.37 and leave his rival needing a 6.92 inside the last eight minutes.

He threatened with two minutes to go, only to fall on an air-drop finish.

Callinan was relieved to pull off the clutch air late in the heat.

"It was a really bad wave actually," Callinan said.

"When I took off, it actually looked like it had something, then where I was, it was a bit bad and it went really soupy, so I thought I had to try something.

"It feels like they've been scoring airs the last couple of days, the wind's perfect for them, so I just thought I'd give it a go and it worked out for me."