Hareb faces elimination round in Peru

New Zealander Paige Hareb finished a distant third in her heat at the Peru Classic, the fifth event in the women's world surfing tour.

After competition was earlier postponed for two days, the event got underway today in clean one-metre waves today.

Hareb was up against Hawaiian rookie 18-year-old Coco Ho and Australian Jessi Miley-Dyer. Ho, who won last week's event in Peniche, Portugal, took the heat with 12.83 points out of a possible 20, ahead of Miley-Dyer on 8.90.

Hareb was third with 7.24 points.

The first two in each heat progress automatically to the third round, while the remaining surfers face a second round repechage. Hareb will meet Brazil's Bruna Schmitz and Peruvian Anali Gomez in her elimination round.

Australian Stephanie Gilmore, the reigning two-time women's world champion, controlled her heat and netted the highest total of the day on 14.44.