Brazilian Samuel Pupo guaranteed his return to the CT after winning a crucial series against Californian Kade Matson in a Saquarema breaking heavily with six to eight Hawaiian feet.

Pupo attacked strongly from the backside to add 17,03, which was well above the 7,77 achieved by Matson.

The result put Pupo in the elite but left Matson still with a chance of being a CT.

Earlier, Jackson Bakery and Mateus Herdy had lost, leaving them without a chance to make the CT and leaving five surfers for three places.

With Pupo's qualification, there are now four left for two places:

-Kade Matson and Deivid Silva who needs Marco Mignot and Michael Rodrigues to do poorly.

-Michael Rodrigues who has to go through his quarterfinal series against Eli Hanneman

-Marco Mignot who has to reach the final.

If Michael Rodrigues makes it through his heat and Mignot fails, Matson and Rodrigues will qualify and Deivid Silva will be out.

Already classified:
Cole Houshmand
Jacob Willcox
Frederico Morais
Eli Hanneman
Jake marshall
Crosby Colapinto
Imaikalani Devault
Samuel Pupo

The eighth finals were as follows:
SERIES 1: Shion Crawford (HAW) 11.83 BEAT Jackson Baker (AUS) 10.50
SERIES 2: Mihimana Braye (FRA) 11.33 BEAT Mateus Herdy (BRA) 10.00
SERIES 3: Crosby Colapinto (USA) 15.93 BEAT Luke Thompson (RSA) 12.03
SERIES 4: Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 11.17 BEAT Nacho Gundesen (ARG) 1.60
SERIES 5: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 9.73 BEAT Heitor Mueller (BRA) 9.07
SERIES 6: Eli Hanneman (HAW) 12.00 BEAT Miguel Pupo (BRA) 8.87
SERIES 7: Marco Mignot (FRA) 12.23 BEAT Frederico Morais (POR) 10.17
SERIES 8: Samuel Pupo (BRA) 17.03 BEAT Kade Matson (USA) 7.77

Men's Quarterfinals
SERIES 1: Shion Crawford (HAW) vs. Mihimana Braye (FRA)
SERIES 2: Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
SERIES 3: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) vs. Eli Hanneman (HAW)
SERIES 4: Marco Mignot (FRA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)

Women's quarterfinals
SERIES 1: Kirra Pinkerton (USA) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR)
SERIES 2: Sophie McCulloch (AUS) vs. Alyssa Spencer (USA)
SERIES 3: Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) vs. India Robinson (AUS)
SERIES 4: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) vs. Erin Brooks (CAN)