While world No.1 Molly Picklum is all but assured of a start in the World Surf League Finals heading into the penultimate round at South Africa's J-Bay, the stakes are high for Australia's other contenders, including Ethan Ewing.
Queenslander Ewing is the country's top-ranked man, sitting fifth, with the top five after the last competition in Tahiti advancing to the one-day title showdown in Fiji in late August.
With competition due to kick off on Friday (local time), Ewing has enjoyed success at the famous Jeffreys Bay break, winning in 2022 and finishing runner-up a year later.
But the 26-year-old has a tough opening round, drawn against American Cole Houshmand, who won at the last tour stop in Brazil, as well as exciting young Frenchman Marco Mignot.
Ewing has fellow Australian Olympian Jack Robinson looking for a big finish to climb from seventh into the top five.
Robinson takes on Brazilian duo Miguel Pupo and Joao Chianca in the opening round.
South African rankings leader Jordy Smith, who has a house overlooking Supertubes, will start favourite as a two-time event winner.
"To come in wearing the yellow jersey is epic - it's testament to the hard work and sacrifices over the years, and we keep swinging and see how the rest of the year plays out," Smith told the WSL.
With a commanding lead heading into the final two competitions, Rio winner Picklum would need some disastrous showings to drop from first out of the top five.
The NSW Central Coast 22-year-old, who finished runner-up at J-Bay in 2023, will look to overcome Canadian teen Erin Brooks and local wildcard Sarah Baum to avoid the elimination round.
Two-time world champion Tyler Wright, ranked seventh, and world No.5 Isabella Nichols are also still in the running for the Finals, with Wright's first-up challenge including Hawaiian big gun Gabriela Ryan.
