Quarter-final finish keeps Hareb at No 8

Kiwi surfer Paige Hareb has maintained her world top 10 ranking with a quarter-final finish at the Gidget Pro in big surf on Hawaii's famous north shore.

A third place finish in the Dream Tour's penultimate event for 2009 was enough for Australian Stephanie Gilmore to collect her third consecutive world title.

Local surfer Carissa Moore used her knowledge of Sunset Beach to win the contest. She had come through the trials system to gain a place in the main event and then cleaned up, putting in some power turns in the overhead surf.

Hareb had put in a good performance in her heat on Saturday, finishing second to advance to the quarter-finals.

But she came unstuck there, finishing last in a four-woman group that was headed by Hawaiians Alana Blanchard and Malia Manuel.

But that was good enough for Hareb to hold on to her world ranking of No 8 with just next week's Billabong Pro at Honolua Bay on Maui left to surf on this year's tour.

She has already qualified for next year's Dream Tour.

GIDGET PRO SUNSET BEACH FINAL RESULTS:
1 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.24
2 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.07
3 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.17
4 - Alana Blanchard (HAW) 11.17

ASP WOMEN'S WORLD TOUR RATINGS (after Gidget Pro, Sunset Beach):
1 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 5521 pts
2 - Silvana Lima (BRA) 4548 pts
3 - Coco Ho (HAW) 4117 pts
4 - Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 4071 pts
5 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 3792 pts
6 - Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 3595 pts
7 - Melanie Bartels (HAW) 3333 pts
8 - Paige Hareb (NZL) 2886 pts
9 - Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) 2604 pts
10 - Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 2509 pts
11 - Alana Blanchard (HAW) 2490 pts
12 - Rebecca Woods (AUS) 2431 pts
13 - Samantha Cornish (AUS) 2388
14 - Bruna Schmitz (BRA) 2010 pts
15 - Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) 1656 pts
16 - Amee Donohoe (AUS) 1638 pts
17 - Megan Abubo (HAW) 1440

- © Fairfax NZ News