Australian Olympians Tyler Wright and Ethan Ewing have reached finals at the latest World Surf League round in Portugal, only for their long days to suffer an anti-climactic end at Supertubos.
Two-time world champion Wright was well beaten - 10.83 points to 5.50 - in the women's final against French rival Johanne Defay on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).
Then Ewing, who'd earlier performed superbly to get through his quarter-final and semi-final in Saturday's competition, found himself outclassed in the late afternoon men's showdown with inspired American Grfffin Colapinto, who prevailed 17.94 to 11.13.
The 29-year-old Wright, who had earlier defeated Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb in the semi-finals, 13.36 to 11.30, couldn't find either the same waves or form for the final as she moved up to eighth overall in the women's WSL standings (13,020 points).
Her Aussie compatriot Molly Picklum (20,410) is ranked No.1, while Defay has moved into second overall on 19,490 with her win - closing the gap on Picklum to 920 points.
After her worst start since qualifying full time for the tour in 2011 - starting the season with two third-round exits - two-time world champion Wright looked more like her usual self in Portugal.
“It’s amazing, I feel like this has been a really key point for my year,” Wright said.
“It’s taken me a while to figure out some of the different changes that I’ve had going on.
"Thank you Portugal for having us, I really enjoyed myself.”
The 25-year-old Queenslander Ewing had a tiring day, winning his early morning quarter-final against Moroccan Ramzi Boukhiam (14.17-7.67) and his semi against Crosby Colapinto (13.00-10.97).
But Crosby's elder brother Griffin was later to exact revenge, riding one wave majestically for a 9.67 score, the best of the day, to prevent Ewing taking the series leader's yellow jersey.
“It was super-cool to surf the final with Griffin, we’re really good friends,” Ewing, who's bound for Tahiti for the Olympics in the Australian team alongside Wright, said.
“We haven’t had that many man-on-man heats together but they’re always super-fun.
When I came to Portugal I was really unhappy with my surfing - but just to pull through that, and the cold water and the long travel, was great.”
Finishing runner-up enabled Ewing to move up five places to second overall in the season's standings after three events.
He's on 15,865 points, behind Griffin Colapinto (16,640). Australia's Jack Robinson is fourth overall (14,650).
The WSL's Championship Tour now swings to Australia, with Ewing and back-to-back champion Wright battling to defend their titles at Bells Beach from March 26 before the surfers move to WA for the Margaret River Pro (starting April 11).
